used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As quick as lightning she turned and went racing back to the den, her cubs following at her heels.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As quick as lightning she turned and went racing back to the den, her cubs following at her heels.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading As quick as lightning she turned and went racing back to the den, her cubs following at her heels.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading As quick as lightning she turned and went racing back to the den, her cubs following at her heels.
have
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading As the man turned to stare at the unaccustomed motion in the landscape, the little family was just disappearing behind the bowlder that camouflaged the entrance to the den.
bowldernoun
a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin
From this reading As the man turned to stare at the unaccustomed motion in the landscape, the little family was just disappearing behind the bowlder that camouflaged the entrance to the den.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
burronounUS /ˈbɜːroʊ/
small donkey used as a pack animal
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But there was time for escape.
camouflagedadjectiveUS /ˈkæməflɑːʒd/
made invisible by means of protective coloring
From this reading As the man turned to stare at the unaccustomed motion in the landscape, the little family was just disappearing behind the bowlder that camouflaged the entrance to the den.
CINNAMONnounUS /ˈsɪnəmən/
aromatic bark used as a spice
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
CUBnounUS /kʌb/
an awkward and inexperienced youth
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
cubsnounUS /kʌbz/
plural of “cub” — an awkward and inexperienced youth
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
dennounUS /den/
the habitation of wild animals
From this reading As quick as lightning she turned and went racing back to the den, her cubs following at her heels.
disappearingnounUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrɪŋ/
the act of leaving secretly or without explanation
From this reading As the man turned to stare at the unaccustomed motion in the landscape, the little family was just disappearing behind the bowlder that camouflaged the entrance to the den.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading As the man turned to stare at the unaccustomed motion in the landscape, the little family was just disappearing behind the bowlder that camouflaged the entrance to the den.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading But there was time for escape.
a social unit living together
From this reading As the man turned to stare at the unaccustomed motion in the landscape, the little family was just disappearing behind the bowlder that camouflaged the entrance to the den.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading As quick as lightning she turned and went racing back to the den, her cubs following at her heels.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But there was time for escape.
inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
glacier-polished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
HADauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
only a very short time before
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
plural of “heel” — the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation
From this reading As quick as lightning she turned and went racing back to the den, her cubs following at her heels.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As the man turned to stare at the unaccustomed motion in the landscape, the little family was just disappearing behind the bowlder that camouflaged the entrance to the den.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
and nothing more
From this reading As the man turned to stare at the unaccustomed motion in the landscape, the little family was just disappearing behind the bowlder that camouflaged the entrance to the den.
landscapenounUS /ˈlændskeɪp/
an expanse of scenery that can be seen in a single view
From this reading As the man turned to stare at the unaccustomed motion in the landscape, the little family was just disappearing behind the bowlder that camouflaged the entrance to the den.
abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light
From this reading As quick as lightning she turned and went racing back to the den, her cubs following at her heels.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading As the man turned to stare at the unaccustomed motion in the landscape, the little family was just disappearing behind the bowlder that camouflaged the entrance to the den.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
From this reading As the man turned to stare at the unaccustomed motion in the landscape, the little family was just disappearing behind the bowlder that camouflaged the entrance to the den.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading As quick as lightning she turned and went racing back to the den, her cubs following at her heels.
racingnounUS /ˈreɪsɪŋ/
the sport of engaging in contests of speed
From this reading As quick as lightning she turned and went racing back to the den, her cubs following at her heels.
regionnounUS /ˈriːdʒən/
the extended spatial location of something
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
except for; apart from
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As quick as lightning she turned and went racing back to the den, her cubs following at her heels.
slippingadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpɪŋ/
moving as on a slippery surface
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
slopesnounUS /sloʊps/
plural of “slope” — an elevated geological formation
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
stareverbUS /ster/
look at with fixed eyes
From this reading As the man turned to stare at the unaccustomed motion in the landscape, the little family was just disappearing behind the bowlder that camouflaged the entrance to the den.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But there was time for escape.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading But there was time for escape.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading As quick as lightning she turned and went racing back to the den, her cubs following at her heels.
unaccustomedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnəˈkʌstəmd/
unusual or unfamiliar
From this reading As the man turned to stare at the unaccustomed motion in the landscape, the little family was just disappearing behind the bowlder that camouflaged the entrance to the den.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But there was time for escape.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading As quick as lightning she turned and went racing back to the den, her cubs following at her heels.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading This region, so far up the glacier-polished slopes, was so smooth that a burro could hardly walk across it without slipping.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading THE CINNAMON CUB HAD the man been nearer, mother brown bear would have fought to save her cubs.
