used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Her husband was an elephant hunter from the Northern Transvaal.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
BoernounUS /bɔːr/
a white native of Cape Province who is a descendant of Dutch settlers and who speaks Afrikaans
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
a youthful male person
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading It was de Klerk.
down-country
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
DutchadjectiveUS /dʌtʃ/
of or relating to the Netherlands or its people or culture
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
elephantnounUS /ˈeləfənt/
five-toed pachyderm
From this reading Her husband was an elephant hunter from the Northern Transvaal.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
gleanedverbUS /ɡliːnd/
past form of “glean” — gather, as of natural products
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her husband was an elephant hunter from the Northern Transvaal.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
someone who hunts game
From this reading Her husband was an elephant hunter from the Northern Transvaal.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading Her husband was an elephant hunter from the Northern Transvaal.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Kate was not very sure of her reception if she went across.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was de Klerk.
ivorynounUS /ˈaɪvəri/
a hard smooth ivory colored dentine that makes up most of the tusks of elephants and walruses
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
Kate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
Klerk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was de Klerk.
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
loadnounUS /loʊd/
weight to be borne or conveyed
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
Marston
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Her husband was an elephant hunter from the Northern Transvaal.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Kate was not very sure of her reception if she went across.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
receptionnounUS /rɪˈsepʃən/
the manner in which something is greeted
From this reading Kate was not very sure of her reception if she went across.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Kate was not very sure of her reception if she went across.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
strolledverbUS /stroʊld/
past form of “stroll” — walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading Kate was not very sure of her reception if she went across.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
TransvaalnounUS /trænzˈvɑːl/
a province of northeastern South Africa originally inhabited by Africans who spoke Bantu; colonized by the Boers
From this reading Her husband was an elephant hunter from the Northern Transvaal.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
precisely as stated
From this reading Kate was not very sure of her reception if she went across.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was de Klerk.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Kate was not very sure of her reception if she went across.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading They had a good load of ivory, gleaned during a year or two of adventure, and the wife, husband, and two children were now on their way down-country.
distant but within sight (“yon” is dialectal)
From this reading A native boy had strolled across from the Boer camp, and from him Kate Marston had learned the name of the Dutch woman sitting over yonder.
