used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
AfricanadjectiveUS /ˈæfrəkən/
of or relating to the nations of Africa or their peoples
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They were not pursued--at least, as far as they knew--and they were delighted at regaining their freedom.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “What of it?” asked Max.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They were not pursued--at least, as far as they knew--and they were delighted at regaining their freedom.
atomsnounUS /ˈætəmz/
plural of “atom” — (physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
blisteredverbUS /ˈblɪstərd/
past form of “blister” — get blistered
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
CamelsnounUS /ˈkæməlz/
plural of “camel” — cud-chewing mammal used as a draft or saddle animal in desert regions
From this reading “Camels.”
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
placed crosswise
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
deafenedadjective
caused to hear poorly or not at all
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
greatly pleased
From this reading They were not pursued--at least, as far as they knew--and they were delighted at regaining their freedom.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
(often used in combination) having a specified direction
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/
past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
escortsnounUS /ˈeskɔːrts/
plural of “escort” — someone who escorts and protects a prominent person
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
to or in any or all places
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
explorersnounUS /ɪkˈsplɔːrərz/
plural of “explorer” — someone who travels into little known regions (especially for some scientific purpose)
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
opinion or judgment
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading They were not pursued--at least, as far as they knew--and they were delighted at regaining their freedom.
set up or found
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints
From this reading They were not pursued--at least, as far as they knew--and they were delighted at regaining their freedom.
Gondo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
IbrahimnounUS /ˌɪbrɑːˈhiːm/
the first of the Old Testament patriarchs and the father of Isaac; according to Genesis, God promised to give Abraham's family (the Hebrews) the land of Canaan (the Promised Land); God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “What of it?” asked Max.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading They were not pursued--at least, as far as they knew--and they were delighted at regaining their freedom.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading They were not pursued--at least, as far as they knew--and they were delighted at regaining their freedom.
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 The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
MaxnounUS /mæks/
street names for gamma hydroxybutyrate
From this reading “What of it?” asked Max.
a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
never-endingadjectiveUS /ˌnevərˈendɪŋ/
uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
nostrilsnounUS /ˈnɑːstrəlz/
plural of “nostril” — either one of the two external openings to the nasal cavity in the nose
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were not pursued--at least, as far as they knew--and they were delighted at regaining their freedom.
oasisnounUS /oʊˈeɪsɪs/
a fertile tract in a desert (where the water table approaches the surface)
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
a person who is being chased
From this reading They were not pursued--at least, as far as they knew--and they were delighted at regaining their freedom.
regainingnounUS /rɪˈɡeɪnɪŋ/
getting something back again
From this reading They were not pursued--at least, as far as they knew--and they were delighted at regaining their freedom.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
in the near future
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
swollenadjectiveUS /ˈswoʊlən/
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were not pursued--at least, as far as they knew--and they were delighted at regaining their freedom.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were not pursued--at least, as far as they knew--and they were delighted at regaining their freedom.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What of it?” asked Max.
at the time that
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
in the company of; together with
From this reading After a day of misery on the sand, when their eyes were blistered, their nostrils swollen, and their ears deafened with the never-ending atoms, which drifted everywhere, Ibrahim directed the attention of his companion to a cloud of sand in the distance.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The oasis was nearly crossed when they left the Gondo escorts, and the young explorers soon found themselves on the terrible African desert.
