used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Hour after hour he pushed on without meeting a living creature.
(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 Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
anglesnounUS /ˈæŋɡəlz/
plural of “angle” — the space between two lines or planes that intersect; the inclination of one line to another; measured in degrees or radians
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
bathernounUS /ˈbeɪðər/
a person who travels through the water by swimming
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
CongonounUS /ˈkɑːŋɡoʊ/
a republic in central Africa; achieved independence from Belgium in 1960
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Hour after hour he pushed on without meeting a living creature.
CrocodilenounUS /ˈkrɑːkədaɪl/
large voracious aquatic reptile having a long snout with massive jaws and sharp teeth and a body covered with bony plates; of sluggish tropical waters
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
cunningadjectiveUS /ˈkʌnɪŋ/
attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
deludeverbUS /dɪˈluːd/
be false to; be dishonest with
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
descendverbUS /dɪˈsend/
move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
determinationnounUS /dɪˌtɜːrməˈneɪʃən/
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
dwarfsnounUS /dwɔːrfs/
plural of “dwarf” — a person who is markedly small
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Once more he was on the ground.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Once more he was on the ground.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Hour after hour he pushed on without meeting a living creature.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
laboriousadjectiveUS /ləˈbɔːriəs/
characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading Hour after hour he pushed on without meeting a living creature.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
march in a procession
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
mazenounUS /meɪz/
complex system of paths or tunnels in which it is easy to get lost
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading Hour after hour he pushed on without meeting a living creature.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Once more he was on the ground.
in motion
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Once more he was on the ground.
on one occasion
From this reading Once more he was on the ground.
and nothing more
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
pausesnounUS /ˈpɔːzəz/
plural of “pause” — a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
PausingverbUS /ˈpɔːzɪŋ/
-ing form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
perchnounUS /pɜːrtʃ/
support consisting of a branch or rod that serves as a resting place (especially for a bird)
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading Hour after hour he pushed on without meeting a living creature.
rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/
done or occurring in a brief period of time
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
past form of “resume” — take up or begin anew
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
SambanounUS /ˈsɑːmbə/
large west African tree having large palmately lobed leaves and axillary cymose panicles of small white flowers and one-winged seeds; yields soft white to pale yellow wood
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
shakenadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪkən/
disturbed psychologically as if by a physical jolt or shock
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
steppingverbUS /ˈstepɪŋ/
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
propel through the air
From this reading Pausing only to throw a rapid glance on all sides, he struck off in a direction at right angles to the course of the stream, and resumed his laborious march through the forest maze.
timidadjectiveUS /ˈtɪmɪd/
showing fear and lack of confidence
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading But he had heard too much of the cunning and determination of the Congo dwarfs to delude himself with the idea that he had finally shaken them off.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
warilyadverbUS /ˈwerəli/
in a wary manner
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Once more he was on the ground.
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 A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A Trip with a Crocodile Samba looked warily round, then began to descend from his perch in the tree, moving as slowly and with as many pauses as a timid bather stepping into the water.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Hour after hour he pushed on without meeting a living creature.
