used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
have
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
befallenverbUS /bəˈfɑːlən/
inflected form of “befall” — become of; happen to
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
exhale hard
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
damagenounUS /ˈdæmədʒ/
the occurrence of a change for the worse
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
the state or fact of existing
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
extremitynounUS /ekˈstreməti/
an external body part that projects from the body
From this reading THE FINDING OF FIRE I The people of the Little Hills were in extremity.
fighting-men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading THE FINDING OF FIRE I The people of the Little Hills were in extremity.
start firing a weapon
From this reading THE FINDING OF FIRE I The people of the Little Hills were in extremity.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
half-man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
advanced in complexity or elaboration
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading THE FINDING OF FIRE I The people of the Little Hills were in extremity.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE FINDING OF FIRE I The people of the Little Hills were in extremity.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE FINDING OF FIRE I The people of the Little Hills were in extremity.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
and nothing more
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE FINDING OF FIRE I The people of the Little Hills were in extremity.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE FINDING OF FIRE I The people of the Little Hills were in extremity.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
oozenounUS /uːz/
any thick, viscous matter
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading THE FINDING OF FIRE I The people of the Little Hills were in extremity.
by chance
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
pregnantadjectiveUS /ˈpreɡnənt/
carrying developing offspring within the body or being about to produce new life
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
repairnounUS /rɪˈper/
the act of putting something in working order again
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
ruthlessadjectiveUS /ˈruːθləs/
without mercy or pity
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
a number or letter indicating quality (especially of a student's performance)
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
strickenadjectiveUS /ˈstrɪkən/
grievously affected especially by disease
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
(sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
strugglingadjectiveUS /ˈstrʌɡəlɪŋ/
engaged in a struggle to overcome especially poverty or obscurity
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FINDING OF FIRE I The people of the Little Hills were in extremity.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
plural of “thousand” — the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
up to a particular time
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
tribenounUS /traɪb/
a social division of (usually preliterate) people
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
tribesnounUS /traɪbz/
plural of “tribe” — a social division of (usually preliterate) people
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
a source of difficulty
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
two times
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE FINDING OF FIRE I The people of the Little Hills were in extremity.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
wipeverbUS /waɪp/
rub with a circular motion
From this reading It looked as if but one more stroke such as that which had just befallen them must wipe them out of existence.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow after blow had stricken them, till now there were but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that number of women able to bear children, left to the tribe.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
a late time of life
From this reading And that, had ruthless Nature suffered it, would have been a damage she might have taken some thousands of years to repair.
youthfuladjectiveUS /ˈjuːθfəl/
suggestive of youth; vigorous and fresh
From this reading For the People of the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.
