used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading They had left the higher mountains behind them, but still moved through what seemed an uninhabited territory.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
bandsnounUS /bændz/
plural of “band” — an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading They had left the higher mountains behind them, but still moved through what seemed an uninhabited territory.
next to; at the side of
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
CLEARINGnounUS /ˈklɪrɪŋ/
a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
crownedadjectiveUS /kraʊnd/
having an (artificial) crown on a tooth
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
daytimenounUS /ˈdeɪtaɪm/
the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
eastwardadjectiveUS /ˈiːstwərd/
moving toward the east
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
encompassverbUS /enˈkʌmpəs/
include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
From this reading If their enemies were upon their track, they knew it not--perfect peace, perfect solitude seemed to encompass them.
encounteredverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntərd/
past form of “encounter” — come together
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
plural of “enemy” — an opposing military force
From this reading If their enemies were upon their track, they knew it not--perfect peace, perfect solitude seemed to encompass them.
opinion or judgment
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
advanced in complexity or elaboration
From this reading They had left the higher mountains behind them, but still moved through what seemed an uninhabited territory.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
hunternounUS /ˈhʌntər/
someone who hunts game
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
temporary military shelter
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If their enemies were upon their track, they knew it not--perfect peace, perfect solitude seemed to encompass them.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If their enemies were upon their track, they knew it not--perfect peace, perfect solitude seemed to encompass them.
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 If their enemies were upon their track, they knew it not--perfect peace, perfect solitude seemed to encompass them.
laggingnounUS /ˈlæɡɪŋ/
insulation used to wrap around pipes or boilers or laid in attics to prevent loss of heat
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
LandlessadjectiveUS /ˈlændləs/
owning no land
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
leaguesnounUS /liːɡz/
plural of “league” — an association of sports teams that organizes matches for its members
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
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 They had left the higher mountains behind them, but still moved through what seemed an uninhabited territory.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading They had left the higher mountains behind them, but still moved through what seemed an uninhabited territory.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading They had left the higher mountains behind them, but still moved through what seemed an uninhabited territory.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
not any; not one
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If their enemies were upon their track, they knew it not--perfect peace, perfect solitude seemed to encompass them.
notedadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəd/
widely known and esteemed
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
nowherenounUS /ˈnoʊwer/
an insignificant place
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
and nothing more
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
pausingverbUS /ˈpɔːzɪŋ/
-ing form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading If their enemies were upon their track, they knew it not--perfect peace, perfect solitude seemed to encompass them.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading If their enemies were upon their track, they knew it not--perfect peace, perfect solitude seemed to encompass them.
with low volume
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
rovingnounUS /ˈroʊvɪŋ/
travelling about without any clear destination
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
cut with a saw
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading They had left the higher mountains behind them, but still moved through what seemed an uninhabited territory.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
the state of being asleep
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
characterized by or preferring solitude
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
a state of social isolation
From this reading If their enemies were upon their track, they knew it not--perfect peace, perfect solitude seemed to encompass them.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
not in physical motion
From this reading They had left the higher mountains behind them, but still moved through what seemed an uninhabited territory.
streamsnounUS /striːmz/
plural of “stream” — a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
in a swift manner
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
territorynounUS /ˈterɪtɔːri/
a region marked off for administrative or other purposes
From this reading They had left the higher mountains behind them, but still moved through what seemed an uninhabited territory.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading If their enemies were upon their track, they knew it not--perfect peace, perfect solitude seemed to encompass them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They had left the higher mountains behind them, but still moved through what seemed an uninhabited territory.
in or at that place or location
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading They had left the higher mountains behind them, but still moved through what seemed an uninhabited territory.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading If their enemies were upon their track, they knew it not--perfect peace, perfect solitude seemed to encompass them.
traveledadjectiveUS /ˈtrævəld/
traveled over or through; sometimes used as a combining term
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
uninhabitedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪnˈhæbətɪd/
not having inhabitants; not lived in
From this reading They had left the higher mountains behind them, but still moved through what seemed an uninhabited territory.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading If their enemies were upon their track, they knew it not--perfect peace, perfect solitude seemed to encompass them.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading No Indian village crowned the hills above the streams; they encountered no roving bands; no solitary hunter met them; nowhere was there sign of human life.
watchfuladjectiveUS /ˈwɑːtʃfəl/
engaged in or accustomed to close observation
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
wayfarers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE HUT IN THE CLEARING Five days later saw the wayfarers some thirty leagues to the eastward of the hollow in the hills.
wearinessnounUS /ˈwɪrinəs/
temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading If their enemies were upon their track, they knew it not--perfect peace, perfect solitude seemed to encompass them.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading They had left the higher mountains behind them, but still moved through what seemed an uninhabited territory.
at the time that
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading They had traveled swiftly, sleeping but a few hours of each night and in the daytime pausing for rest only when Landless, quietly watchful, saw the weariness growing in the eyes of the woman beside him, or noted her lagging footsteps.
