used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But Roy in a black humor had decided to go on, and his word was law.
any person at all
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
attemptingverbUS /əˈtemptɪŋ/
-ing form of “attempt” — make an effort or attempt
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading But Roy in a black humor had decided to go on, and his word was law.
break-up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Roy in a black humor had decided to go on, and his word was law.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Therefore, what else could they do?
travel across or pass over
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
recognizable; marked
From this reading But Roy in a black humor had decided to go on, and his word was law.
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Therefore, what else could they do?
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Therefore, what else could they do?
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
set up or found
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading But Roy in a black humor had decided to go on, and his word was law.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But Roy in a black humor had decided to go on, and his word was law.
humornounUS /ˈhjuːmər/
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading But Roy in a black humor had decided to go on, and his word was law.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
plural of “indian” — a native or inhabitant of India
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
the collection of rules imposed by authority
From this reading But Roy in a black humor had decided to go on, and his word was law.
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 What was left them to do?
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But Roy in a black humor had decided to go on, and his word was law.
plightnounUS /plaɪt/
a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
portentousadjectiveUS /pɔːrˈtentəs/
of momentous or ominous significance
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
Roy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
for that reason; as a result
From this reading Therefore, what else could they do?
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation
From this reading They would never have thought of attempting to cross the river, for they understood better than anyone the portentous signs of a “break-up.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But Roy in a black humor had decided to go on, and his word was law.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Therefore, what else could they do?
in the company of; together with
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading But Roy in a black humor had decided to go on, and his word was law.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If Roy had not been with them, the Indians would certainly never have found themselves in such a desperate plight.
