used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The plains and boxlike bluff around the cantonments had turned to a rich velvet of green.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The plains and boxlike bluff around the cantonments had turned to a rich velvet of green.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading The army teams broke the prairie, and they were planting the seed.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The plains and boxlike bluff around the cantonments had turned to a rich velvet of green.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
bluffnounUS /blʌf/
a high steep bank (usually formed by river erosion)
From this reading The plains and boxlike bluff around the cantonments had turned to a rich velvet of green.
boxlikeadjective
resembling a box in rectangularity
From this reading The plains and boxlike bluff around the cantonments had turned to a rich velvet of green.
lacking funds
From this reading The army teams broke the prairie, and they were planting the seed.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
campaignsnounUS /kæmˈpeɪnz/
plural of “campaign” — a race between candidates for elective office
From this reading The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
cantonments
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The plains and boxlike bluff around the cantonments had turned to a rich velvet of green.
an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation
From this reading The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
destroyed or killed
From this reading KATHERINE The snow had gone.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading The plains and boxlike bluff around the cantonments had turned to a rich velvet of green.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading KATHERINE The snow had gone.
heart-breaking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
plural of “indian” — a native or inhabitant of India
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
KATHERINE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading KATHERINE The snow had gone.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The plains and boxlike bluff around the cantonments had turned to a rich velvet of green.
plainsnounUS /pleɪnz/
plural of “plain” — extensive tract of level open land
From this reading The plains and boxlike bluff around the cantonments had turned to a rich velvet of green.
plantingnounUS /ˈplæntɪŋ/
the act of fixing firmly in place
From this reading The army teams broke the prairie, and they were planting the seed.
prairienounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading The army teams broke the prairie, and they were planting the seed.
not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing
From this reading The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
possessing material wealth
From this reading The plains and boxlike bluff around the cantonments had turned to a rich velvet of green.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
seednounUS /siːd/
a small hard fruit
From this reading The army teams broke the prairie, and they were planting the seed.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading KATHERINE The snow had gone.
snow-laden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
teamsnounUS /tiːmz/
plural of “team” — a cooperative unit (especially in sports)
From this reading The army teams broke the prairie, and they were planting the seed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading KATHERINE The snow had gone.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The army teams broke the prairie, and they were planting the seed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The plains and boxlike bluff around the cantonments had turned to a rich velvet of green.
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
soldiers collectively
From this reading The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading The plains and boxlike bluff around the cantonments had turned to a rich velvet of green.
velvetnounUS /ˈvelvət/
a silky densely piled fabric with a plain back
From this reading The plains and boxlike bluff around the cantonments had turned to a rich velvet of green.
(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 The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
a Caucasian
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
which person or people
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
wind-swept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading The Indians who had been brought in during the winter were taking their first heart-breaking steps along the white man's road.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The troops rested after the tremendous campaigns in the snow-laden, wind-swept hills, with the consciousness of work well done.
