used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
Belinda
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
an onerous or difficult concern
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading Darkness was closing in upon them.
conicaladjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnɪkəl/
relating to or resembling a cone
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
CustomsnounUS /ˈkʌstəmz/
money collected under a tariff
From this reading She walked, fast and erect, with a swaying of her hips, exchanging rough jests with the Gendarmes at the Customs.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Darkness was closing in upon them.
donkeysnounUS /ˈdɑːŋkiz/
plural of “donkey” — the symbol of the Democratic Party; introduced in cartoons by Thomas Nast in 1874
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
the operator of a motor vehicle
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
dusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
erectverbUS /ɪˈrekt/
construct, build, or erect
From this reading She walked, fast and erect, with a swaying of her hips, exchanging rough jests with the Gendarmes at the Customs.
exchangingverbUS /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “exchange” — give to, and receive from, one another
From this reading She walked, fast and erect, with a swaying of her hips, exchanging rough jests with the Gendarmes at the Customs.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading She walked, fast and erect, with a swaying of her hips, exchanging rough jests with the Gendarmes at the Customs.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
flicked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
gaitnounUS /ɡeɪt/
the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
Gendarmes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She walked, fast and erect, with a swaying of her hips, exchanging rough jests with the Gendarmes at the Customs.
a young female
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
haunches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
heightsnounUS /haɪts/
a high place
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
hipsnounUS /hɪps/
plural of “hip” — either side of the body below the waist and above the thigh
From this reading She walked, fast and erect, with a swaying of her hips, exchanging rough jests with the Gendarmes at the Customs.
homewardsadverb
toward home
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Darkness was closing in upon them.
irregularadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈreɡjələr/
contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
jestsnounUS /dʒests/
plural of “jest” — a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
From this reading She walked, fast and erect, with a swaying of her hips, exchanging rough jests with the Gendarmes at the Customs.
jingled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
leanverbUS /liːn/
to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
United States prizefighter who was world heavyweight champion for 12 years (1914-1981)
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
Mentonese
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
Pont
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
(of pain or sorrow) made easier to bear
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading She walked, fast and erect, with a swaying of her hips, exchanging rough jests with the Gendarmes at the Customs.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She walked, fast and erect, with a swaying of her hips, exchanging rough jests with the Gendarmes at the Customs.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
St
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
swayingverbUS /ˈsweɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “sway” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading She walked, fast and erect, with a swaying of her hips, exchanging rough jests with the Gendarmes at the Customs.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Darkness was closing in upon them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two figures came slowly down the hill from the heights of Belinda to the Pont St. Louis.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Darkness was closing in upon them.
vanishingnounUS /ˈvænɪʃɪŋ/
a sudden or mysterious disappearance
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading She walked, fast and erect, with a swaying of her hips, exchanging rough jests with the Gendarmes at the Customs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Darkness was closing in upon them.
whipverbUS /wɪp/
beat severely with a whip or rod
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
a Caucasian
From this reading In front, vanishing in the dusk along the white road, their donkeys, relieved of burden, jingled homewards at an irregular gait.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The girl driver, her wide, conical Mentonese hat hanging over her arm, and a flower in her mouth, flicked their lean haunches with her whip.
