used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He came of a race of hillmen, accustomed to scaling forbidding crags, and he was a man of unusual strength and agility.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading He came of a race of hillmen, accustomed to scaling forbidding crags, and he was a man of unusual strength and agility.
agilitynounUS /əˈdʒɪləti/
the gracefulness of a person or animal that is quick and nimble
From this reading He came of a race of hillmen, accustomed to scaling forbidding crags, and he was a man of unusual strength and agility.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading But the man who was working his tedious way upward was already halfway to the top.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
bitsnounUS /bɪts/
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
breeks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the man who was working his tedious way upward was already halfway to the top.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He came of a race of hillmen, accustomed to scaling forbidding crags, and he was a man of unusual strength and agility.
cliffsnounUS /klɪfs/
plural of “cliff” — a steep high face of rock
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
cragsnounUS /kræɡz/
plural of “crag” — a steep rugged rock or cliff
From this reading He came of a race of hillmen, accustomed to scaling forbidding crags, and he was a man of unusual strength and agility.
crimsonadjectiveUS /ˈkrɪmzən/
of a color at the end of the color spectrum (next to orange); resembling the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
curtainsnounUS /ˈkɜːrtənz/
plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
curvedadjectiveUS /kɜːrvd/
having or marked by a curve or smoothly rounded bend
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
daggernounUS /ˈdæɡ.ər/
A short knife with a pointed and edged blade, used as a stealth weapon.
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
dazzlinglyadverb
in a manner or to a degree that dazzles the beholder
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
emeraldnounUS /ˈemrəld/
a green transparent form of beryl; highly valued as a gemstone
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
forbiddingadjectiveUS /fərˈbɪdɪŋ/
harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance
From this reading He came of a race of hillmen, accustomed to scaling forbidding crags, and he was a man of unusual strength and agility.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
frondsnounUS /frɑːndz/
plural of “frond” — compound leaf of a fern or palm or cycad
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
garmentnounUS /ˈɡɑːrmənt/
an article of clothing
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
any creature of exceptional size
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
glinted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
halfwayadjectiveUS /ˈhæfˈweɪ/
equally distant from the extremes
From this reading But the man who was working his tedious way upward was already halfway to the top.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He came of a race of hillmen, accustomed to scaling forbidding crags, and he was a man of unusual strength and agility.
hillmen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came of a race of hillmen, accustomed to scaling forbidding crags, and he was a man of unusual strength and agility.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But the man who was working his tedious way upward was already halfway to the top.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
insurmountableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnsərˈmaʊntəbəl/
not capable of being surmounted or overcome
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
jade-blue
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
junglenounUS /ˈdʒʌŋɡəl/
a location marked by an intense competition and struggle for survival
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading But the man who was working his tedious way upward was already halfway to the top.
a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
and nothing more
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
palisadenounUS /ˌpælɪˈseɪd/
fortification consisting of a strong fence made of stakes driven into the ground
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
quartznounUS /kwɔːrts/
colorless glass made of almost pure silica
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
any competition
From this reading He came of a race of hillmen, accustomed to scaling forbidding crags, and he was a man of unusual strength and agility.
rampartsnounUS /ˈræmpɑːrts/
plural of “rampart” — an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
sandalsnounUS /ˈsændəlz/
plural of “sandal” — a shoe consisting of a sole fastened by straps to the foot
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
scalingnounUS /ˈskeɪlɪŋ/
the act of arranging in a graduated series
From this reading He came of a race of hillmen, accustomed to scaling forbidding crags, and he was a man of unusual strength and agility.
sheeradjectiveUS /ʃɪr/
complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
slungverbUS /slʌŋ/
inflected form of “sling” — hurl as if with a sling
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
solidadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləd/
characterized by good substantial quality
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading He came of a race of hillmen, accustomed to scaling forbidding crags, and he was a man of unusual strength and agility.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
the rays of the sun
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
tediousadjectiveUS /ˈtiːdiəs/
so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
From this reading But the man who was working his tedious way upward was already halfway to the top.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
the upper part of anything
From this reading But the man who was working his tedious way upward was already halfway to the top.
toweringadjectiveUS /ˈtaʊərɪŋ/
of imposing height; especially standing out above others
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading He came of a race of hillmen, accustomed to scaling forbidding crags, and he was a man of unusual strength and agility.
directed up
From this reading But the man who was working his tedious way upward was already halfway to the top.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But the man who was working his tedious way upward was already halfway to the top.
wavingnounUS /ˈweɪvɪŋ/
the act of signaling by a movement of the hand
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading But the man who was working his tedious way upward was already halfway to the top.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His only garment was a pair of short red silk breeks, and his sandals were slung to his back, out of his way, as were his sword and dagger.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading The cliffs rose sheer from the jungle, towering ramparts of stone that glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun, and curved away and away to east and west above the waving emerald ocean of fronds and leaves.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
which person or people
From this reading But the man who was working his tedious way upward was already halfway to the top.
winkedverbUS /wɪŋkt/
past form of “wink” — signal by winking
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It looked insurmountable, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight.
actively engaged in paid work
From this reading But the man who was working his tedious way upward was already halfway to the top.
