used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
aliensnounUS /ˈeɪliənz/
plural of “alien” — a person who comes from a foreign country; someone who does not owe allegiance to your country
From this reading And still that handful of obstinate aliens clung like barnacles to the bare red rocks of the Ridge.
(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 Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading BUGLES AND FIFES.
completely unclothed
From this reading And still that handful of obstinate aliens clung like barnacles to the bare red rocks of the Ridge.
barnaclesnounUS /ˈbɑːrnəkəlz/
plural of “barnacle” — marine crustaceans with feathery food-catching appendages; free-swimming as larvae; as adults form a hard shell and live attached to submerged surfaces
From this reading And still that handful of obstinate aliens clung like barnacles to the bare red rocks of the Ridge.
for the reason that
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
BUGLESnounUS /ˈbjuːɡəlz/
plural of “bugle” — a brass instrument without valves; used for military calls and fanfares
From this reading BUGLES AND FIFES.
canalnounUS /kəˈnæl/
(astronomy) an indistinct surface feature of Mars once thought to be a system of channels; they are now believed to be an optical illusion
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
clungverbUS /klʌŋ/
inflected form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading And still that handful of obstinate aliens clung like barnacles to the bare red rocks of the Ridge.
coolnessnounUS /ˈkuːlnəs/
calm and unruffled self-assurance
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
diseasenounUS /dɪˈziːz/
an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning
From this reading A strong rear-guard this, what with disease and exposure superadded to skirmishes and target-practice.
exposurenounUS /ɪkˈspoʊʒər/
vulnerability to the elements; to the action of heat or cold or wind or rain
From this reading A strong rear-guard this, what with disease and exposure superadded to skirmishes and target-practice.
FIFES
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BUGLES AND FIFES.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
gravesnounUS /ɡreɪvz/
English writer known for his interest in mythology and in the classics (1895-1985)
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
handfulnounUS /ˈhændfʊl/
a small number or amount
From this reading And still that handful of obstinate aliens clung like barnacles to the bare red rocks of the Ridge.
heatsnounUS /hiːts/
plural of “heat” — a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
the month following May and preceding July
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading And still that handful of obstinate aliens clung like barnacles to the bare red rocks of the Ridge.
moltenadjectiveUS /ˈmoʊltən/
reduced to liquid form by heating
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
new-madeadjective
newly made
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
obstinateadjectiveUS /ˈɑːbstənət/
tenaciously unwilling or marked by tenacious unwillingness to yield
From this reading And still that handful of obstinate aliens clung like barnacles to the bare red rocks of the Ridge.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
rainsnounUS /reɪnz/
plural of “rain” — water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
rear-guard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A strong rear-guard this, what with disease and exposure superadded to skirmishes and target-practice.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading And still that handful of obstinate aliens clung like barnacles to the bare red rocks of the Ridge.
RidgenounUS /rɪdʒ/
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading And still that handful of obstinate aliens clung like barnacles to the bare red rocks of the Ridge.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading And still that handful of obstinate aliens clung like barnacles to the bare red rocks of the Ridge.
rowsnounUS /roʊz/
plural of “row” — an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
skirmishesnounUS /ˈskɜːrmɪʃɪz/
plural of “skirmish” — a minor short-term fight
From this reading A strong rear-guard this, what with disease and exposure superadded to skirmishes and target-practice.
the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
not in physical motion
From this reading And still that handful of obstinate aliens clung like barnacles to the bare red rocks of the Ridge.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading A strong rear-guard this, what with disease and exposure superadded to skirmishes and target-practice.
superadded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A strong rear-guard this, what with disease and exposure superadded to skirmishes and target-practice.
target-practice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A strong rear-guard this, what with disease and exposure superadded to skirmishes and target-practice.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And still that handful of obstinate aliens clung like barnacles to the bare red rocks of the Ridge.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Clung all the closer because in one corner of it, beside the canal, they had become part of the soil itself in rows on rows of new-made graves.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading A strong rear-guard this, what with disease and exposure superadded to skirmishes and target-practice.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And still that handful of obstinate aliens clung like barnacles to the bare red rocks of the Ridge.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a blessed coolness in the air, for the rains had broken, the molten heats of June had passed.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading A strong rear-guard this, what with disease and exposure superadded to skirmishes and target-practice.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A strong rear-guard this, what with disease and exposure superadded to skirmishes and target-practice.
