used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Come not back, but send a brother."
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Come not back, but send a brother."
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
brakenounUS /breɪk/
a restraint used to slow or stop a vehicle
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading Come not back, but send a brother."
a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Come not back, but send a brother."
chorusnounUS /ˈkɔːrəs/
any utterance produced simultaneously by a group
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Come not back, but send a brother."
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
a female human offspring
From this reading "Thus we drive you forth, O daughter!
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
operate or control a vehicle
From this reading "Thus we drive you forth, O daughter!
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
opinion or judgment
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
for a limitless time
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "Thus we drive you forth, O daughter!
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
glaredverbUS /ɡlerd/
past form of “glare” — look at with a fixed gaze
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
Hist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
horridadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːrəd/
exceedingly bad
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
jackalnounUS /ˈdʒækəl/
Old World nocturnal canine mammal closely related to the dog; smaller than a wolf; sometimes hunts in a pack but usually singly or as a member of a pair
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
the act of departing
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
louderadjectiveUS /ˈlaʊdər/
comparative of “loud” — characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
Nihali
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Come not back, but send a brother."
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 "Thus we drive you forth, O daughter!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
pattering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
retreatingverbUS /riˈtriːtɪŋ/
-ing form of “retreat” — pull back or move away or backward
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
get by special effort
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
cause to go somewhere
From this reading Come not back, but send a brother."
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
sobbingnounUS /ˈsɑːbɪŋ/
convulsive gasp made while weeping
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
not in physical motion
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
swellverbUS /swel/
increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
moving very fast
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading "Thus we drive you forth, O daughter!
up to a particular time
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
unwatched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
wailverbUS /weɪl/
emit long loud cries
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Swift and silent as they had come, they made their way back to the village, leaving the dead baby alone, unwatched.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Thus we drive you forth, O daughter!
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading For a while the night was still; then soft pattering feet crept round Nihali, and fierce eyes glared on her from the bushes; but Death held her in his arms secure, and fear was over forever.
whineverbUS /waɪn/
move with a whining sound
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading "Hist!" cried the retreating women, as the sobbing wail of the jackal, beginning with a faint whine, rose louder and louder, till each bush and brake seemed to give a voice to swell the horrid chorus.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Thus we drive you forth, O daughter!
