used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
abatedverbUS /əˈbeɪtɪd/
past form of “abate” — make less active or intense
From this reading THIRST The sun went down before the sand storm abated.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
AltarnounUS /ˈɔːltər/
the table in Christian churches where communion is given
From this reading Two mites in the wind-scourged wilderness of Altar with love o’ life the leveller that made them kin.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading THIRST The sun went down before the sand storm abated.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
civilizedadjectiveUS /ˈsɪvəlaɪzd/
having a high state of culture and development both social and technological
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
contrastnounUS /ˈkɑːntræst/
the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
covertnounUS /ˈkoʊvərt/
a flock of coots
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading THIRST The sun went down before the sand storm abated.
driftverbUS /drɪft/
be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
divisible by two
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
a feeling of intense anger
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
kinnounUS /kɪn/
a person having kinship with another or others
From this reading Two mites in the wind-scourged wilderness of Altar with love o’ life the leveller that made them kin.
immediately past
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
levellernoun
a radical who advocates the abolition of social distinctions
From this reading Two mites in the wind-scourged wilderness of Altar with love o’ life the leveller that made them kin.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Two mites in the wind-scourged wilderness of Altar with love o’ life the leveller that made them kin.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading Two mites in the wind-scourged wilderness of Altar with love o’ life the leveller that made them kin.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Two mites in the wind-scourged wilderness of Altar with love o’ life the leveller that made them kin.
the force of workers available
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
mitesnounUS /maɪts/
plural of “mite” — a slight but appreciable amount
From this reading Two mites in the wind-scourged wilderness of Altar with love o’ life the leveller that made them kin.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading Two mites in the wind-scourged wilderness of Altar with love o’ life the leveller that made them kin.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
oppressiveadjectiveUS /əˈpresɪv/
weighing heavily on the senses or spirit
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
piledverbUS /paɪld/
past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
rabbitsnounUS /ˈræbəts/
plural of “rabbit” — any of various burrowing animals of the family Leporidae having long ears and short tails; some domesticated and raised for pets or food
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
radiatornounUS /ˈreɪdieɪtər/
any object that radiates energy
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading THIRST The sun went down before the sand storm abated.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
the display of a motion picture
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
slitheringadjectiveUS /ˈslɪðərɪŋ/
moving as on a slippery surface
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading THIRST The sun went down before the sand storm abated.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading THIRST The sun went down before the sand storm abated.
terrificadjectiveUS /tərˈɪfɪk/
very great or intense
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Two mites in the wind-scourged wilderness of Altar with love o’ life the leveller that made them kin.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THIRST The sun went down before the sand storm abated.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Two mites in the wind-scourged wilderness of Altar with love o’ life the leveller that made them kin.
THIRSTnounUS /θɜːrst/
a physiological need to drink
From this reading THIRST The sun went down before the sand storm abated.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
the upper part of anything
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
uproarnounUS /ˈʌprɔːr/
a state of commotion and noise and confusion
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
vagrantnounUS /ˈveɪɡrənt/
a wanderer who has no established residence or visible means of support
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
voidadjectiveUS /vɔɪd/
lacking any legal or binding force
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading THIRST The sun went down before the sand storm abated.
at the time that
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
whistlingnounUS /ˈwɪslɪŋ/
the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture
From this reading In place of the slithering and whistling of driven sand an oppressive stillness, which seemed dropped from the void of the stars, now showing.
wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading Two mites in the wind-scourged wilderness of Altar with love o’ life the leveller that made them kin.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading When the last vagrant wind fury had passed fell silence almost terrific by contrast with the uproar of the storm.
wind-scourged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two mites in the wind-scourged wilderness of Altar with love o’ life the leveller that made them kin.
windwardnounUS /ˈwɪndwərd/
the direction from which the wind is coming
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Two men, the one called civilized, the other a savage, crouched like rabbits in a covert beneath the body of the little car with a high sand drift piled up to windward even over the radiator top.
