used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
having companions or an escort
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Nor did this strange man come alone to the rescue.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
beaknounUS /biːk/
beaklike mouth of animals other than birds (e.g., turtles)
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
combatantsnounUS /kəmˈbætənts/
plural of “combatant” — someone who fights (or is fighting)
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Nor did this strange man come alone to the rescue.
having gaps or spaces
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
eaglenounUS /ˈiːɡəl/
any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
horsemannounUS /ˈhɔːrsmən/
a man skilled in equitation
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
inspiredadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈspaɪərd/
being of such surpassing excellence as to suggest inspiration by the gods
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
lacerating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
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 And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Nor did this strange man come alone to the rescue.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Nor did this strange man come alone to the rescue.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
polishedadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːlɪʃt/
perfected or made shiny and smooth
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
red-skins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
free from harm or evil
From this reading Nor did this strange man come alone to the rescue.
precisely, exactly
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
sabernounUS /ˈseɪbər/
a fencing sword with a v-shaped blade and a slightly curved handle
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
Identical; not different.
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
savagesnounUS /ˈsævədʒəz/
plural of “savage” — a member of an uncivilized people
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
screamverbUS /skriːm/
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
skullsnounUS /skʌlz/
plural of “skull” — the bony skeleton of the head of vertebrates
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Nor did this strange man come alone to the rescue.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
(sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
moving very fast
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
swingverbUS /swɪŋ/
move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
swoopedverbUS /swuːpt/
past form of “swoop” — move down on as if in an attack
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
talonnounUS /ˈtælən/
a sharp hooked claw especially on a bird of prey
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
tameverbUS /teɪm/
correct by punishment or discipline
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
tearingnounUS /ˈterɪŋ/
shedding tears
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Nor did this strange man come alone to the rescue.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nor did this strange man come alone to the rescue.
tuftedadjectiveUS /ˈtʌftɪd/
(of plants) growing in small dense clumps or tufts
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
warlikeadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːrlaɪk/
disposed to warfare or hard-line policies
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading And so swift did the stranger swing the polished weapon right and left upon the tufted skulls of the red-skins that it seemed a broad sheet of flame.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
wildlyadverbUS /ˈwaɪldli/
to an extreme or greatly exaggerated degree
From this reading It was the wild scream of a bird that fell upon the ears of the combatants, but at the next instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the savages, a drawn saber in hand.
a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)
From this reading Down into the savages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing, swooped the great bird with a scream, tearing and lacerating the flesh and eyes at every stroke.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same warlike spirit of its master.
