used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
(used of persons or the military) characterized by having or bearing arms
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
arrowsnounUS /ˈæroʊz/
plural of “arrow” — a mark to indicate a direction or relation
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the end of the second day’s march, a tribe hostile to the Gondos was encountered.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
bowsnounUS /baʊz/
plural of “bow” — a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
caravannounUS /ˈkærəvæn/
a procession (of wagons or mules or camels) traveling together in single file
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
a person who is in charge
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
congratulateverbUS /kənˈɡrætʃəleɪt/
say something to someone that expresses praise
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
without stop or interruption
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
cymbalsnounUS /ˈsɪmbəlz/
plural of “cymbal” — a percussion instrument consisting of a concave brass disk; makes a loud crashing sound when hit with a drumstick or when two are struck together
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
day'snounUS /deɪz/
possessive form of “day” — time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading At the end of the second day’s march, a tribe hostile to the Gondos was encountered.
discordnounUS /ˈdɪskɔːrd/
lack of agreement or harmony
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
drumsnounUS /drʌmz/
plural of “drum” — a musical percussion instrument; usually consists of a hollow cylinder with a membrane stretched across each end
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
encounteredverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntərd/
past form of “encounter” — come together
From this reading At the end of the second day’s march, a tribe hostile to the Gondos was encountered.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading At the end of the second day’s march, a tribe hostile to the Gondos was encountered.
euphorbianoun
type genus of the Euphorbiaceae: very large genus of diverse plants all having milky juice
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
enclose with a fence
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
flintnounUS /flɪnt/
a hard kind of stone; a form of silica more opaque than chalcedony
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
Gondos
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
hammernounUS /ˈhæmər/
the part of a gunlock that strikes the percussion cap when the trigger is pulled
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
hostileadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːstəl/
characterized by enmity or ill will
From this reading At the end of the second day’s march, a tribe hostile to the Gondos was encountered.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
ten 10s
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
the quality of being important and worthy of note
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
deeply or markedly affected or influenced
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
incessantadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsesənt/
uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
interspersedverbUS /ˌɪntərˈspɜːrst/
past form of “intersperse” — place at intervals in or among
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
lances
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
engage in
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
march in a procession
From this reading At the end of the second day’s march, a tribe hostile to the Gondos was encountered.
the force of workers available
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
an organization of missionaries in a foreign land sent to carry on religious work
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
nakedadjectiveUS /ˈneɪkəd/
completely unclothed
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
parchedadjectiveUS /pɑːrtʃt/
dried out by heat or excessive exposure to sunlight
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
parklike
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
salaams
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
sandyadjectiveUS /ˈsændi/
of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
savagesnounUS /ˈsævədʒəz/
plural of “savage” — a member of an uncivilized people
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading At the end of the second day’s march, a tribe hostile to the Gondos was encountered.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
shapedadjectiveUS /ʃeɪpt/
shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
sharpenedadjectiveUS /ˈʃɑːrpənd/
having the point made sharp
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
sledgeverbUS /sledʒ/
transport in a sleigh
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
confined on all sides
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At the end of the second day’s march, a tribe hostile to the Gondos was encountered.
tribenounUS /traɪb/
a social division of (usually preliterate) people
From this reading At the end of the second day’s march, a tribe hostile to the Gondos was encountered.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
villagesnounUS /ˈvɪlədʒəz/
plural of “village” — a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For some hours the caravan passed through a country which was parklike, but parched by the dry weather.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Five or six hundred naked savages appeared, well armed with lances, having flint heads, bows and arrows, and a peculiar weapon shaped almost like a sledge hammer--one side of the flint head being sharpened to a fine point, while the other was a hammer.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The ground was sandy, but firm, and interspersed with villages, all of which were surrounded with a strong fence of euphorbia.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading The girls kept up an incessant discord on the cymbals and drums, and the men, sent by the chief of the Gondos, were so impressed with the importance of their mission that every hundred yards or so they would stop, congratulate each other, and make some wonderful salaams before they continued the journey.
