used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
past form of “act” — perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading This movement awakened his attention, and, opening his eyes, he fixed them on my countenance.
aroused or activated
From this reading This movement awakened his attention, and, opening his eyes, he fixed them on my countenance.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
bespokeadjectiveUS /bʊˈspoʊk/
(of clothing) custom-made
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I was sensible of nothing but compassion.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
compassionnounUS /kəmˈpæʃən/
a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering
From this reading I was sensible of nothing but compassion.
completedadjectiveUS /kəmˈpliːtəd/
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
the appearance conveyed by a person's face
From this reading This movement awakened his attention, and, opening his eyes, he fixed them on my countenance.
the act of working out the form of something (as by making a sketch or outline or plan)
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
destructionnounUS /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/
the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
emaciatedadjectiveUS /ɪˈmeɪʃieɪtɪd/
very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
opinion or judgment
From this reading This movement awakened his attention, and, opening his eyes, he fixed them on my countenance.
plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading This movement awakened his attention, and, opening his eyes, he fixed them on my countenance.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
mangledadjectiveUS /ˈmæŋɡəld/
having edges that are jagged from injury
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
miseriesnounUS /ˈmɪzəriz/
plural of “misery” — a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading This movement awakened his attention, and, opening his eyes, he fixed them on my countenance.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading I was sensible of nothing but compassion.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I was sensible of nothing but compassion.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
and nothing more
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading This movement awakened his attention, and, opening his eyes, he fixed them on my countenance.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
ruefuladjectiveUS /ˈruːfəl/
feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
except for; apart from
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
seatingnounUS /ˈsiːtɪŋ/
an area that includes places where several people can sit
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading I was sensible of nothing but compassion.
shockingadjectiveUS /ˈʃɑːkɪŋ/
glaringly vivid and graphic; marked by sensationalism
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
an ability that has been acquired by training
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
to a sufficient degree
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading This movement awakened his attention, and, opening his eyes, he fixed them on my countenance.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This movement awakened his attention, and, opening his eyes, he fixed them on my countenance.
tomahawkverbUS /ˈtɑːməhɔːk/
cut with a tomahawk
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
experiencing or marked by or causing sadness or sorrow or discontent
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was mangled by the tomahawk in a shocking manner, and there was little hope that human skill could save his life.
at the time that
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
belonging to which person
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading I acted without design, when, seating myself on the floor, I raised his head and placed it on my knees.
wretchnounUS /retʃ/
performs some wicked deed
From this reading I hung over the unhappy wretch, whose emaciated form and rueful features sufficiently bespoke that savage hands had only completed that destruction which his miseries had begun.
