Chapter XVII

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Then, when the youths were becoming impatient with the long silence, he continued, speaking in a low voice.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The Old Man's Tale At once Bob and Joe were breathless with interest.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The Old Man's Tale At once Bob and Joe were breathless with interest.

according with custom or propriety

From this reading Then, when the youths were becoming impatient with the long silence, he continued, speaking in a low voice.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

move up and down repeatedly

From this reading The Old Man's Tale At once Bob and Joe were breathless with interest.

not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty

From this reading The Old Man's Tale At once Bob and Joe were breathless with interest.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

without stop or interruption

From this reading Then, when the youths were becoming impatient with the long silence, he continued, speaking in a low voice.

ludicrously odd

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The old man hesitated for several minutes, staring off into space.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Then, when the youths were becoming impatient with the long silence, he continued, speaking in a low voice.

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

past form of “hesitate” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness

From this reading The old man hesitated for several minutes, staring off into space.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

restless or short-tempered under delay or opposition

From this reading Then, when the youths were becoming impatient with the long silence, he continued, speaking in a low voice.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

a ruler of the Incas (or a member of his family)

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading The Old Man's Tale At once Bob and Joe were breathless with interest.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The old man hesitated for several minutes, staring off into space.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Old Man's Tale At once Bob and Joe were breathless with interest.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Then, when the youths were becoming impatient with the long silence, he continued, speaking in a low voice.

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Then, when the youths were becoming impatient with the long silence, he continued, speaking in a low voice.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading The Old Man's Tale At once Bob and Joe were breathless with interest.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading The old man hesitated for several minutes, staring off into space.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

plural of “mystery” — something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

plural of “myth” — a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading The old man hesitated for several minutes, staring off into space.

many times at short intervals

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading The Old Man's Tale At once Bob and Joe were breathless with interest.

on one occasion

From this reading The Old Man's Tale At once Bob and Joe were breathless with interest.

plural of “secret” — something that should remain hidden from others (especially information that is not to be passed on)

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading The old man hesitated for several minutes, staring off into space.

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading Then, when the youths were becoming impatient with the long silence, he continued, speaking in a low voice.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading The old man hesitated for several minutes, staring off into space.

the utterance of intelligible speech

From this reading Then, when the youths were becoming impatient with the long silence, he continued, speaking in a low voice.

(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder

From this reading The old man hesitated for several minutes, staring off into space.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading The Old Man's Tale At once Bob and Joe were breathless with interest.

plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The Old Man's Tale At once Bob and Joe were breathless with interest.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then, when the youths were becoming impatient with the long silence, he continued, speaking in a low voice.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading They had often heard of Inca secrets but had thought them nothing more than myths.

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

a fact that has been verified

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading Then, when the youths were becoming impatient with the long silence, he continued, speaking in a low voice.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The Old Man's Tale At once Bob and Joe were breathless with interest.

at the time that

From this reading Then, when the youths were becoming impatient with the long silence, he continued, speaking in a low voice.

in the company of; together with

From this reading The Old Man's Tale At once Bob and Joe were breathless with interest.

past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.

plural of “youth” — a young person (especially a young man or boy)

From this reading Now, as this strange old man stood before them, the youths wondered if there might have been some truth in the fantastic tales told of Inca mysteries.