used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Only an earthquake could have weakened such masonry as this.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
apartmentsnounUS /əˈpɑːrtmənts/
plural of “apartment” — a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
archedadjectiveUS /ɑːrtʃt/
constructed with or in the form of an arch or arches
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Only an earthquake could have weakened such masonry as this.
assaultnounUS /əˈsɔːlt/
close fighting during the culmination of a military attack
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
barracksnounUS /ˈbærəks/
plural of “barrack” — a building or group of buildings used to house military personnel
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading Upon a cot in one of these gloomy rooms lay stretched the body of a young man of heroic proportions.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
CartagenanounUS /ˌkɑːrtəˈdʒiːnə/
a port in southeastern Spain on the Mediterranean
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
cavernsnounUS /ˈkævərnz/
plural of “cavern” — any large dark enclosed space
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
centuriesnounUS /ˈsentʃəriz/
plural of “century” — a period of 100 years
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
consistedverbUS /kənˈsɪstəd/
past form of “consist” — originate
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
cotnounUS /kɑːt/
a sheath worn to protect a finger
From this reading Upon a cot in one of these gloomy rooms lay stretched the body of a young man of heroic proportions.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Only an earthquake could have weakened such masonry as this.
defendedverbUS /dɪˈfendəd/
past form of “defend” — argue or speak in defense of
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading Here was a prison likely to hold the most desperate malefactor.
earlier in time; previously
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
earthquakenounUS /ˈɜːrθkweɪk/
shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground movement along a fault plane or from volcanic activity
From this reading Only an earthquake could have weakened such masonry as this.
furiousadjectiveUS /ˈfjʊriəs/
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
depressingly dark
From this reading Upon a cot in one of these gloomy rooms lay stretched the body of a young man of heroic proportions.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Only an earthquake could have weakened such masonry as this.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here was a prison likely to hold the most desperate malefactor.
heroicadjectiveUS /hɪˈroʊɪk/
very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale)
From this reading Upon a cot in one of these gloomy rooms lay stretched the body of a young man of heroic proportions.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Here was a prison likely to hold the most desperate malefactor.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Upon a cot in one of these gloomy rooms lay stretched the body of a young man of heroic proportions.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Upon a cot in one of these gloomy rooms lay stretched the body of a young man of heroic proportions.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading Here was a prison likely to hold the most desperate malefactor.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
malefactornounUS /ˈmæləfæktər/
someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime
From this reading Here was a prison likely to hold the most desperate malefactor.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Upon a cot in one of these gloomy rooms lay stretched the body of a young man of heroic proportions.
masonrynounUS /ˈmeɪsənri/
structure built of stone or brick by a mason
From this reading Only an earthquake could have weakened such masonry as this.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Here was a prison likely to hold the most desperate malefactor.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
and nothing more
From this reading Only an earthquake could have weakened such masonry as this.
a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
proportionsnounUS /prəˈpɔːrʃənz/
plural of “proportion” — the quotient obtained when the magnitude of a part is divided by the magnitude of the whole
From this reading Upon a cot in one of these gloomy rooms lay stretched the body of a young man of heroic proportions.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading Upon a cot in one of these gloomy rooms lay stretched the body of a young man of heroic proportions.
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
similar things placed in order or happening one after another
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
the Romance language spoken in most of Spain and the countries colonized by Spain
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading Upon a cot in one of these gloomy rooms lay stretched the body of a young man of heroic proportions.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Only an earthquake could have weakened such masonry as this.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Upon a cot in one of these gloomy rooms lay stretched the body of a young man of heroic proportions.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Here was a prison likely to hold the most desperate malefactor.
tomb-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
accumulated wealth in the form of money or jewels etc.
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
soldiers collectively
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
UPONprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading UPON THE CITY WALL The prison of Cartagena consisted of a long row of arched, tomb-like apartments built against the inside of the city wall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Here was a prison likely to hold the most desperate malefactor.
weakenedadjectiveUS /ˈwiːkənd/
impaired by diminution
From this reading Only an earthquake could have weakened such masonry as this.
which person or people
From this reading Two centuries earlier, this series of stone caverns had been the barracks of the Spanish troops who had defended this treasure port against one furious assault after another.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Upon a cot in one of these gloomy rooms lay stretched the body of a young man of heroic proportions.
