used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
Anthela
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
barbarousadjectiveUS /ˈbɑːrbərəs/
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
blondadjectiveUS /blɑːnd/
being or having light colored skin and hair and usually blue or grey eyes
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
rid of obstructions
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
clustersnounUS /ˈklʌstərz/
plural of “cluster” — a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
curlsnounUS /kɜːrlz/
plural of “curl” — a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
DemeternounUS /dɪˈmiːtər/
(Greek mythology) goddess of fertility and protector of marriage in ancient mythology; counterpart of Roman Ceres
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
distinguishingverbUS /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “distinguish” — mark as different
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
embattledadjectiveUS /emˈbætəld/
(of a person) beset by difficulties or conflict
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
opinion or judgment
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
hostilitynounUS /hɑːˈstɪləti/
a hostile (very unfriendly) disposition
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
English writer and lexicographer (1709-1784)
From this reading Samuel Johnson.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
Locris
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
mankindnounUS /ˈmænˈkaɪnd/
all of the living human inhabitants of the earth
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
parentagenounUS /ˈperəntədʒ/
the state of being a parent
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
PersiannounUS /ˈpɜːrʒən/
a native or inhabitant of Iran
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
physiquenounUS /fəˈziːk/
constitution of the human body
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
poisedadjectiveUS /pɔɪzd/
marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
preynounUS /preɪ/
a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
proportionallyadverbUS /prəˈpɔːrʃənəli/
to a proportionate degree
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
with speed
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
reddening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
regionsnounUS /ˈriːdʒənz/
plural of “region” — the extended spatial location of something
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
SamuelnounUS /ˈsæmjuːl/
(Old Testament) Hebrew prophet and judge who anointed Saul as king
From this reading Samuel Johnson.
seizeverbUS /siːz/
take hold of; grab
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
sensitivenessnounUS /ˈsensətɪvnəs/
sensitivity to emotional feelings (of self and others)
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
get rid of
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
starvesverbUS /stɑːrvz/
third-person singular of “starve” — be hungry; go without food
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
traitsnounUS /treɪts/
plural of “trait” — a distinguishing feature of your personal nature
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
(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 In his general bearing and physique he was truly a Persian; large of frame, broad of shoulders, with a proportionally small but well poised head.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But the tight clusters of blond curls, clear blue eyes and sensitiveness of mouth were not distinguishing traits of Persian parentage.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
Xerxes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “In gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way.”
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
Zopyrus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The reddening glow of an evening sun was shed upon the little town of Anthela in Locris as Zopyrus, a young Persian officer in the army of Xerxes passed quickly from the shadows of the temple to Demeter into the narrow street.
