used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
aestheticadjectiveUS /esˈθetɪk/
relating to or dealing with the subject of aesthetics
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading The ragged strips, spitted on bamboo rods, were already searing in the fierce sun-rays.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
armfulnoun
the quantity that can be contained in the arms
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
bamboonounUS /bæmˈbuː/
the hard woody stems of bamboo plants; used in construction and crafts and fishing poles
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
baobabnoun
African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey bread
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
beckonedverbUS /ˈbekənd/
past form of “beckon” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
bladenounUS /bleɪd/
especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
BlakenounUS /bleɪk/
visionary British poet and painter (1757-1827)
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
bloodyadjectiveUS /ˈblʌdi/
having or covered with or accompanied by blood
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
the two together, not just one
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
brushverbUS /brʌʃ/
rub with a brush, or as if with a brush
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
butcheringnounUS /ˈbʊtʃərɪŋ/
the business of a butcher
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
cubsnounUS /kʌbz/
plural of “cub” — an awkward and inexperienced youth
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
fagots
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading The ragged strips, spitted on bamboo rods, were already searing in the fierce sun-rays.
flayedverbUS /fleɪd/
past form of “flay” — strip the skin off
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
a long fixed look
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
a young female
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
haggledverbUS /ˈhæɡəld/
past form of “haggle” — wrangle (over a price, terms of an agreement, etc.)
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
only a very short time before
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
improvisedadjectiveUS /ˈɪmprəvaɪzd/
done or made using whatever is available
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
lackedverbUS /lækt/
past form of “lack” — be without
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
leopardnounUS /ˈlepərd/
the pelt of a leopard
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
Leslie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
Leslie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
neatestadjectiveUS /ˈniːtəst/
superlative of “neat” — clean or organized
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
not any; not one
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The ragged strips, spitted on bamboo rods, were already searing in the fierce sun-rays.
penknifenoun
a small pocketknife; originally used to cut quill pens
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
PROBLEMSnounUS /ˈprɑːbləmz/
plural of “problem” — a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
raggedadjectiveUS /ˈræɡəd/
being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn
From this reading The ragged strips, spitted on bamboo rods, were already searing in the fierce sun-rays.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
rodsnounUS /rɑːdz/
plural of “rod” — a long thin implement made of metal or wood
From this reading The ragged strips, spitted on bamboo rods, were already searing in the fierce sun-rays.
searingadjectiveUS /ˈsɪrɪŋ/
severely critical
From this reading The ragged strips, spitted on bamboo rods, were already searing in the fierce sun-rays.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
an ability that has been acquired by training
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
spitted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ragged strips, spitted on bamboo rods, were already searing in the fierce sun-rays.
stripsnounUS /strɪps/
plural of “strip” — a relatively long narrow piece of something
From this reading The ragged strips, spitted on bamboo rods, were already searing in the fierce sun-rays.
sun-rays
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ragged strips, spitted on bamboo rods, were already searing in the fierce sun-rays.
termedverbUS /tɜːrmd/
past form of “term” — name formally or designate with a term
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
toolsnounUS /tuːlz/
plural of “tool” — an implement used in the practice of a vocation
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Between the penknife and an improvised blade of bamboo, they had flayed the two cubs and haggled off the flesh.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The ragged strips, spitted on bamboo rods, were already searing in the fierce sun-rays.
Winthrope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The neatest of butchering can hardly be termed aesthetic; and Blake and Winthrope lacked both skill and tools.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
WOODCRAFTnoun
skill and experience in matters relating to the woods (as hunting or fishing or camping)
From this reading PROBLEMS IN WOODCRAFT It was no pleasant sight that met Miss Leslie's gaze upon her return.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Miss Leslie would have slipped into the hollow of the baobab with her armful of fagots and brush; but Blake waved a bloody knife above the body of the mother leopard, and beckoned the girl to come nearer.
