used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
abandonedadjectiveUS /əˈbændənd/
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
in addition
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Two of them, Warrigal and another, watched with a good deal of interest the burial of the swag beneath a drought-seared solitary iron-bark.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
completely unclothed
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
have
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Two of them, Warrigal and another, watched with a good deal of interest the burial of the swag beneath a drought-seared solitary iron-bark.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
blazenounUS /bleɪz/
a strong flame that burns brightly
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
burialnounUS /ˈberiəl/
the ritual placing of a corpse in a grave
From this reading Two of them, Warrigal and another, watched with a good deal of interest the burial of the swag beneath a drought-seared solitary iron-bark.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
a pair who associate with one another
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading Two of them, Warrigal and another, watched with a good deal of interest the burial of the swag beneath a drought-seared solitary iron-bark.
without deviation
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
DITCHnounUS /dɪtʃ/
a long narrow excavation in the earth
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
drought-seared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two of them, Warrigal and another, watched with a good deal of interest the burial of the swag beneath a drought-seared solitary iron-bark.
owed and payable immediately or on demand
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
FinnnounUS /fɪn/
a native or inhabitant of Finland
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
gaitnounUS /ɡeɪt/
the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Two of them, Warrigal and another, watched with a good deal of interest the burial of the swag beneath a drought-seared solitary iron-bark.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
half-pack
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
harderadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdər/
comparative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
headedadjectiveUS /ˈhedəd/
having a heading or course in a certain direction
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
headingnounUS /ˈhedɪŋ/
a line of text serving to indicate what the passage below it is about
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
not accessible to view
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading Two of them, Warrigal and another, watched with a good deal of interest the burial of the swag beneath a drought-seared solitary iron-bark.
iron-bark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two of them, Warrigal and another, watched with a good deal of interest the burial of the swag beneath a drought-seared solitary iron-bark.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
set down according to a plan
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
immediately past
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
middaynounUS /ˈmɪddeɪ/
the middle of the day
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
the location of something surrounded by other things
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
mouthfuls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
not any; not one
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
the middle of the day
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
arrange in a container
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
pitilessadjectiveUS /ˈpɪtiləs/
without mercy or pity
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
one of four equal parts
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
scrubverbUS /skrʌb/
clean with hard rubbing
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
characterized by or preferring solitude
From this reading Two of them, Warrigal and another, watched with a good deal of interest the burial of the swag beneath a drought-seared solitary iron-bark.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
comparatives of “soon” or “early”
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
staggeringadjectiveUS /ˈstæɡərɪŋ/
so surprisingly impressive as to stun or overwhelm
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
strokesnounUS /stroʊks/
plural of “stroke” — (sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
the rays of the sun
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
swagnoun
valuable goods
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Two of them, Warrigal and another, watched with a good deal of interest the burial of the swag beneath a drought-seared solitary iron-bark.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
unearthedverbUS /əˈnɜːrθt/
past form of “unearth” — bring to light
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
viciousadjectiveUS /ˈvɪʃəs/
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading No sooner was the man out of sight--he walked slowly and with a somewhat staggering gait now--than the pack unearthed his swag with quick, vicious strokes of their feet, and laid it bare to the full blaze of the afternoon sunlight.
Warrigalnoun
Australian wild horse
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Two of them, Warrigal and another, watched with a good deal of interest the burial of the swag beneath a drought-seared solitary iron-bark.
water-bottle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had rested for the better part of an hour directly after noon, and had two mouthfuls from his water-bottle, one before and one after his rest.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
which person or people
From this reading IN THE LAST DITCH It was in the midst of the pitiless heat which comes a couple of hours after midday, and is harder to bear than the blaze of high noon, that the man who was heading due east abandoned his swag.
belonging to which person
From this reading While he rested, the half-pack, headed by Finn and Warrigal, had rested also, and more completely, hidden away in the scrub, a quarter of a mile and more from the man whose trail they followed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Two of them, Warrigal and another, watched with a good deal of interest the burial of the swag beneath a drought-seared solitary iron-bark.
