used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading There was unfortunately no water for them, for the only little watercourse near them was absolutely dry.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
surrounded by; in the company of
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading VERY NEAR TO DEATH.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading There was unfortunately no water for them, for the only little watercourse near them was absolutely dry.
move gently or carefully
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
growthnounUS /ɡroʊθ/
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
haltverbUS /hɔːlt/
cause to stop
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
Havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
loadsnounUS /loʊdz/
a large number or amount
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
for more time
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
mid-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading VERY NEAR TO DEATH.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
not any; not one
From this reading There was unfortunately no water for them, for the only little watercourse near them was absolutely dry.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
plural of “object” — a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
obstaclesnounUS /ˈɑːbstəkəlz/
plural of “obstacle” — something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
and nothing more
From this reading There was unfortunately no water for them, for the only little watercourse near them was absolutely dry.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
go across or through
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
practicableadjectiveUS /ˈpræktəkəbəl/
usable for a specific purpose
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
removeverbUS /riˈmuːv/
remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
separated in relationship by a given degree of descent
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
routenounUS /ruːt/
an established line of travel or access
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
saddlesnounUS /ˈsædəlz/
plural of “saddle” — a seat for the rider of a horse or other animal
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
scantyadjectiveUS /ˈskænti/
lacking in magnitude or quantity
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
sunrisenounUS /ˈsʌnraɪz/
the first light of day
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was unfortunately no water for them, for the only little watercourse near them was absolutely dry.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading VERY NEAR TO DEATH.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
unfortunatelyadverbUS /ənˈfɔːrtʃənətli/
by bad luck
From this reading There was unfortunately no water for them, for the only little watercourse near them was absolutely dry.
precisely as stated
From this reading VERY NEAR TO DEATH.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Although they had started at sunrise the little party had not nearly reached the pass by the hour that it was time for their mid-day halt.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading There was unfortunately no water for them, for the only little watercourse near them was absolutely dry.
watercoursenoun
natural or artificial channel through which water flows
From this reading There was unfortunately no water for them, for the only little watercourse near them was absolutely dry.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Having to find a practicable route for the horses, and having to remove so many objects that were obstacles in their way, had taken so much longer a time than they had expected.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The boys removed the saddles and loads from the horses to ease them a little, and turned them loose to find what food they could amongst the scanty growth on the rocks.
