used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading All their canoes are very tiny, and they work them with consummate skill.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading All their canoes are very tiny, and they work them with consummate skill.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
BarisnounUS /ˈbɑːriz/
plural of “bari” — capital city of the Apulia region on the Adriatic coast
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
for the reason that
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
canoesnounUS /kəˈnuːz/
plural of “canoe” — small and light boat; pointed at both ends; propelled with a paddle
From this reading All their canoes are very tiny, and they work them with consummate skill.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
concreteadjectiveUS /kənˈkriːt/
capable of being perceived by the senses; not abstract or imaginary
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
consummateverbUS /ˈkɑːnsəmət/
fulfill sexually
From this reading All their canoes are very tiny, and they work them with consummate skill.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
Dinkas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
dottedadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːtəd/
having a pattern of dots
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
dryingverbUS /ˈdraɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “dry” — remove the moisture from and make dry
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
encounterverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntər/
come together
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
expertadjectiveUS /ˈekspərt/
having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
flournounUS /ˈflaʊər/
fine powdery foodstuff obtained by grinding and sifting the meal of a cereal grain
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
hipponounUS /ˈhɪpoʊ/
an ancient Numidian town in northwestern Africa adjoining present-day Annaba in northeastern Algeria
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
hippopotamusnounUS /ˌhɪpəˈpɑːtəməs/
massive thick-skinned herbivorous animal living in or around rivers of tropical Africa
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
huntersnounUS /ˈhʌntərz/
plural of “hunter” — someone who hunts game
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
hutsnounUS /hʌts/
plural of “hut” — temporary military shelter
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
having much knowledge or education
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
the flesh of animals (including fishes and birds and snails) used as food
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
milletnounUS /ˈmɪlət/
any of various small-grained annual cereal and forage grasses of the genera Panicum, Echinochloa, Setaria, Sorghum, and Eleusine
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
used to form the superlative
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
nenuphar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
north-westadverb
to, toward, or in the northwest
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
poundingnounUS /ˈpaʊndɪŋ/
repeated heavy blows
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
preparatoryadjectiveUS /prɪˈperətɔːri/
preceding and preparing for something
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
seedsnounUS /siːdz/
plural of “seed” — a small hard fruit
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
an ability that has been acquired by training
From this reading All their canoes are very tiny, and they work them with consummate skill.
stringsnounUS /strɪŋz/
the section of an orchestra that plays stringed instruments
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
stripsnounUS /strɪps/
plural of “strip” — a relatively long narrow piece of something
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
surroundingadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋ/
closely encircling
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
possessing sweep
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading All their canoes are very tiny, and they work them with consummate skill.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
thitheradverbUS /ˈðɪθɜːr/
an old word meaning “to that place”
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
very small
From this reading All their canoes are very tiny, and they work them with consummate skill.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
twosnounUS /tuːz/
plural of “two” — the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
precisely as stated
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
villagesnounUS /ˈvɪlədʒəz/
plural of “village” — a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Their villages were very scattered, the huts being dotted in ones and twos throughout their fields of millet.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They beat the ground immediately surrounding their huts into a hard concrete, which they kept well swept, and upon which they dry the seeds of the nenuphar preparatory to pounding it into flour.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading All their canoes are very tiny, and they work them with consummate skill.
worstednounUS /ˈwɜːrstɪd/
a woolen fabric with a hard textured surface and no nap; woven of worsted yarns "he wore a worsted suit"
From this reading The few Baris that we met on the islands informed us that they had come thither because they had been worsted in an encounter with the Dinkas to the north-west.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading As most of their huts were covered with strings of drying meat and strips of hippo hide, they would appear to be expert hippopotamus hunters.
