used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A mist that one might smell lay along the course of the river.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Lights were glowing above the strong walls and behind the straight trunks of the palms.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Hicks rode heavily and with the air of one utterly oblivious to his surroundings.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading THE THING THAT HAPPENED Hicks came along the homeward road at dusk.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Lights were glowing above the strong walls and behind the straight trunks of the palms.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE THING THAT HAPPENED Hicks came along the homeward road at dusk.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Lights were glowing above the strong walls and behind the straight trunks of the palms.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But at the gateway of the officers' mess he looked up.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading THE THING THAT HAPPENED Hicks came along the homeward road at dusk.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading A mist that one might smell lay along the course of the river.
dusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading THE THING THAT HAPPENED Hicks came along the homeward road at dusk.
gatewaynounUS /ˈɡeɪtweɪ/
an entrance that can be closed by a gate
From this reading But at the gateway of the officers' mess he looked up.
glowingadjectiveUS /ˈɡloʊɪŋ/
highly enthusiastic
From this reading Lights were glowing above the strong walls and behind the straight trunks of the palms.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading THE THING THAT HAPPENED Hicks came along the homeward road at dusk.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But at the gateway of the officers' mess he looked up.
to a considerable degree
From this reading Hicks rode heavily and with the air of one utterly oblivious to his surroundings.
HicksnounUS /hɪks/
plural of “hick” — a person who is not very intelligent or interested in culture
From this reading THE THING THAT HAPPENED Hicks came along the homeward road at dusk.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Hicks rode heavily and with the air of one utterly oblivious to his surroundings.
homewardadverbUS /ˈhoʊmwərd/
toward home
From this reading THE THING THAT HAPPENED Hicks came along the homeward road at dusk.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A mist that one might smell lay along the course of the river.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading Lights were glowing above the strong walls and behind the straight trunks of the palms.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading But at the gateway of the officers' mess he looked up.
messnounUS /mes/
a state of confusion and disorderliness
From this reading But at the gateway of the officers' mess he looked up.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading A mist that one might smell lay along the course of the river.
become covered with mist
From this reading A mist that one might smell lay along the course of the river.
obliviousadjectiveUS /əˈblɪviəs/
(followed by “to” or “of”) lacking conscious awareness of
From this reading Hicks rode heavily and with the air of one utterly oblivious to his surroundings.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Lights were glowing above the strong walls and behind the straight trunks of the palms.
plural of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading But at the gateway of the officers' mess he looked up.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A mist that one might smell lay along the course of the river.
palmsnounUS /pɑːmz/
plural of “palm” — the inner surface of the hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers
From this reading Lights were glowing above the strong walls and behind the straight trunks of the palms.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading A mist that one might smell lay along the course of the river.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading THE THING THAT HAPPENED Hicks came along the homeward road at dusk.
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading Hicks rode heavily and with the air of one utterly oblivious to his surroundings.
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading A mist that one might smell lay along the course of the river.
successive (without a break)
From this reading Lights were glowing above the strong walls and behind the straight trunks of the palms.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading Lights were glowing above the strong walls and behind the straight trunks of the palms.
surroundingsnounUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋz/
the environmental condition
From this reading Hicks rode heavily and with the air of one utterly oblivious to his surroundings.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE THING THAT HAPPENED Hicks came along the homeward road at dusk.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE THING THAT HAPPENED Hicks came along the homeward road at dusk.
a special situation
From this reading THE THING THAT HAPPENED Hicks came along the homeward road at dusk.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Hicks rode heavily and with the air of one utterly oblivious to his surroundings.
trunksnounUS /trʌŋks/
(used in the plural) trousers that end at or above the knee
From this reading Lights were glowing above the strong walls and behind the straight trunks of the palms.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading But at the gateway of the officers' mess he looked up.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Hicks rode heavily and with the air of one utterly oblivious to his surroundings.
plural of “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 Lights were glowing above the strong walls and behind the straight trunks of the palms.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Lights were glowing above the strong walls and behind the straight trunks of the palms.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Hicks rode heavily and with the air of one utterly oblivious to his surroundings.
