used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Just a warm swallow gurgled when she shook it.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
(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, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
blisteredverbUS /ˈblɪstərd/
past form of “blister” — get blistered
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
canteennounUS /kænˈtiːn/
a flask for carrying water; used by soldiers or travelers
From this reading There was very little water left in the canteen.
crackedadjectiveUS /krækt/
used of skin roughened as a result of cold or exposure
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
divisible by two
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading HIDING “You find the water for us, _pintito mio_.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading HIDING “You find the water for us, _pintito mio_.”
gurgled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just a warm swallow gurgled when she shook it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
HIDINGnounUS /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/
the activity of keeping something secret
From this reading HIDING “You find the water for us, _pintito mio_.”
homedverbUS /hoʊmd/
past form of “home” — provide with, or send to, a home
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Just a warm swallow gurgled when she shook it.
and nothing more
From this reading Just a warm swallow gurgled when she shook it.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
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 There was very little water left in the canteen.
lightnessnounUS /ˈlaɪtnəs/
a feeling of joy and pride
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was very little water left in the canteen.
mio
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HIDING “You find the water for us, _pintito mio_.”
not in physical motion
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
in motion
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
the middle of the day
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
pintito
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HIDING “You find the water for us, _pintito mio_.”
prayingverbUS /ˈpreɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “pray” — address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
Raquel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading Just a warm swallow gurgled when she shook it.
spacesnounUS /ˈspeɪsəz/
plural of “space” — the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
at a steady rate or pace
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
swallowverbUS /ˈswɑːloʊ/
pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking
From this reading Just a warm swallow gurgled when she shook it.
swiftsnounUS /swɪfts/
plural of “swift” — United States meat-packer who began the use of refrigerated railroad cars (1839-1903)
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HIDING “You find the water for us, _pintito mio_.”
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was very little water left in the canteen.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
toadsnounUS /toʊdz/
plural of “toad” — any of various tailless stout-bodied amphibians with long hind limbs for leaping; semiaquatic and terrestrial species
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
unbearableadjectiveUS /ənˈberəbəl/
incapable of being tolerated or endured
From this reading All day, even during that unbearable noon hour when the swifts and the homed toads remain motionless, they had kept moving steadily across the cracked and blistered spaces.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading HIDING “You find the water for us, _pintito mio_.”
precisely as stated
From this reading There was very little water left in the canteen.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading Just a warm swallow gurgled when she shook it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading HIDING “You find the water for us, _pintito mio_.”
at the time that
From this reading Just a warm swallow gurgled when she shook it.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Raquel spoke with an effort at lightness, but in her heart she was praying.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading HIDING “You find the water for us, _pintito mio_.”
