used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
abstractverbUS /æbˈstrækt/
consider a concept without thinking of a specific example; consider abstractly or theoretically
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
arcnounUS /ɑːrk/
electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
Battleford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
campedverbUS /kæmpt/
past form of “camp” — live in or as if in a tent
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
casualadjectiveUS /ˈkæʒəwəl/
marked by blithe unconcern
From this reading They knew, in a casual sort of way, that the long, dry grass was as inflammable as chips soaked in kerosene.
chemistrynounUS /ˈkeməstri/
the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
chipsnounUS /tʃɪps/
strips of potato fried in deep fat
From this reading They knew, in a casual sort of way, that the long, dry grass was as inflammable as chips soaked in kerosene.
ConfucianismnounUS /kənˈfjuːʃənɪzəm/
the teachings of Confucius emphasizing love for humanity; high value given to learning and to devotion to family (including ancestors); peace; justice; influenced the traditional culture of China
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
creeksnounUS /kriːks/
plural of “creek” — a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
apart from; not including
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
start firing a weapon
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
plural of “fire” — the event of something burning (often destructive)
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
furnacenounUS /ˈfɜːrnəs/
an enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc.
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading They knew, in a casual sort of way, that the long, dry grass was as inflammable as chips soaked in kerosene.
gustnounUS /ɡʌst/
a strong current of air
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
not accessible to view
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
inflammableadjectiveUS /ɪnˈflæməbəl/
easily ignited
From this reading They knew, in a casual sort of way, that the long, dry grass was as inflammable as chips soaked in kerosene.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
kerosenenounUS /ˈkerəsiːn/
a flammable hydrocarbon oil used as fuel in lamps and heaters
From this reading They knew, in a casual sort of way, that the long, dry grass was as inflammable as chips soaked in kerosene.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
the act of departing
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
lickedadjectiveUS /lɪkt/
having been got the better of
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading They knew, in a casual sort of way, that the long, dry grass was as inflammable as chips soaked in kerosene.
moisturenounUS /ˈmɔɪstʃər/
wetness caused by water
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
organicadjectiveUS /ɔːrˈɡænɪk/
relating or belonging to the class of chemical compounds having a carbon basis
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially by the general public
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
PrairienounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
done under pressure
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
sloughsnounUS /slʌfs/
plural of “slough” — necrotic tissue; a mortified or gangrenous part or mass
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
soakedadjectiveUS /soʊkt/
very drunk
From this reading They knew, in a casual sort of way, that the long, dry grass was as inflammable as chips soaked in kerosene.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading They knew, in a casual sort of way, that the long, dry grass was as inflammable as chips soaked in kerosene.
south-westadverb
to, toward, or in the southwest
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They knew, in a casual sort of way, that the long, dry grass was as inflammable as chips soaked in kerosene.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _Prairie Fires_ The second evening after leaving Battleford, the party camped inside a huge but distant arc of fire.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
topicsnounUS /ˈtɑːpɪks/
plural of “topic” — the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading In the abstract they knew a little about prairie fires, as they did about horses, and organic chemistry, and Confucianism, and other popular topics.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading All day the sun had been almost hidden by smoke, though the fire itself was not visible.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading They knew, in a casual sort of way, that the long, dry grass was as inflammable as chips soaked in kerosene.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading A hot, dry wind from the south-west, which had licked up all moisture except sloughs and running creeks, rushed across their front like a gust from a furnace.
