adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
agenounUS /eɪdʒ/
how long something has existed
From this reading This woman Sihamba, who might have been a little over thirty years of age, had been living in our neighbourhood for some three or four years and practising as a doctoress.
alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/
in addition
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
appearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading This woman Sihamba, who might have been a little over thirty years of age, had been living in our neighbourhood for some three or four years and practising as a doctoress.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading This woman Sihamba, who might have been a little over thirty years of age, had been living in our neighbourhood for some three or four years and practising as a doctoress.
believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
belongverbUS /bɪˈlɔːŋ/
be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
BiblenounUS /ˈbaɪbəl/
the sacred writings of the Christian religions
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
blackadjectiveUS /blæk/
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
bloodnounUS /blʌd/
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
bushnounUS /bʊʃ/
a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
certainlyadverbUS /ˈsɜːrtənli/
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
childnounUS /tʃaɪld/
a young person of either sex
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
copper-coloured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
doctoress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This woman Sihamba, who might have been a little over thirty years of age, had been living in our neighbourhood for some three or four years and practising as a doctoress.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/
past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
faradverbUS /fɑːr/
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
farmverbUS /fɑːrm/
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
fashionnounUS /ˈfæʃən/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
featuresnounUS /ˈfiːtʃərz/
plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
fournounUS /fɔːr/
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading This woman Sihamba, who might have been a little over thirty years of age, had been living in our neighbourhood for some three or four years and practising as a doctoress.
fringenounUS /frɪndʒ/
the outside boundary or surface of something
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/
coins made of gold
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
hairnounUS /her/
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading This woman Sihamba, who might have been a little over thirty years of age, had been living in our neighbourhood for some three or four years and practising as a doctoress.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
headnounUS /hed/
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
healthyadjectiveUS /ˈhelθi/
having or indicating good health in body or mind; free from infirmity or disease
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
hillsnounUS /hɪlz/
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
hour'snounUS /ˈaʊərz/
possessive form of “hour” — a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
Kaffirnoun
important for human and animal food; growth habit and stem form similar to Indian corn but having sawtooth-edged leaves
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
knowverbUS /noʊ/
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
leftnounUS /left/
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 This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
livedverbUS /lɪvd/
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
livingnounUS /ˈlɪvɪŋ/
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading This woman Sihamba, who might have been a little over thirty years of age, had been living in our neighbourhood for some three or four years and practising as a doctoress.
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/
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 In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading This woman Sihamba, who might have been a little over thirty years of age, had been living in our neighbourhood for some three or four years and practising as a doctoress.
mostadverbUS /moʊst/
used to form the superlative
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
neighbourhoodnounUS /ˈneɪbərhʊd/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading This woman Sihamba, who might have been a little over thirty years of age, had been living in our neighbourhood for some three or four years and practising as a doctoress.
neighbouringverbUS /ˈneɪbərɪŋ/
-ing form of “neighbour” — live or be located as a neighbor
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
Ngenyanga
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
NorthnounUS /nɔːrθ/
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
NowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
ownverbUS /oʊn/
have ownership or possession of
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
perfectlyadverbUS /ˈpɜːrfəktli/
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
picturesnounUS /ˈpɪktʃərz/
plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
Piet's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
placenounUS /pleɪs/
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
platesnounUS /pleɪts/
plural of “plate” — (baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
practising
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This woman Sihamba, who might have been a little over thirty years of age, had been living in our neighbourhood for some three or four years and practising as a doctoress.
prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
ranverbUS /ræn/
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/
on the contrary
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
rideverbUS /raɪd/
sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
roadnounUS /roʊd/
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
roundnounUS /raʊnd/
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
saintsnounUS /seɪnts/
plural of “saint” — a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
SAVEDadjectiveUS /seɪvd/
rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
shapedadjectiveUS /ʃeɪpt/
shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
SIHAMBA
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
stifflyadverbUS /ˈstɪfli/
in a stiff manner
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
SUZANNE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
SwartadjectiveUS /swɔːrt/
naturally having skin of a dark color
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
SwazinounUS /ˈswɑːzi/
a member of a southeast African people living in Swaziland and adjacent areas
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
talleradjectiveUS /ˈtɔːlər/
comparative of “tall” — great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
teethnounUS /tiːθ/
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
thingnounUS /θɪŋ/
a special situation
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
thirtynounUS /ˈθɜːrdiː/
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading This woman Sihamba, who might have been a little over thirty years of age, had been living in our neighbourhood for some three or four years and practising as a doctoress.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
threenounUS /θriː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading This woman Sihamba, who might have been a little over thirty years of age, had been living in our neighbourhood for some three or four years and practising as a doctoress.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
Transkei
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
tribesnounUS /traɪbz/
plural of “tribe” — a social division of (usually preliterate) people
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
twelvenounUS /twelv/
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
valleynounUS /ˈvæli/
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
wavyadjectiveUS /ˈweɪvi/
(of hair) having waves
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
wearverbUS /wer/
be dressed in
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
whitenounUS /waɪt/
a Caucasian
From this reading For a Kaffir also she was pretty, having fine small features, beautiful white teeth, and a fringe of wavy black hair that stood out stiffly round her head something after the fashion of the gold plates which the saints wear in the pictures in our old Bible.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading This woman Sihamba, who might have been a little over thirty years of age, had been living in our neighbourhood for some three or four years and practising as a doctoress.
whynounUS /waɪ/
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
witch-doctoress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW SUZANNE SAVED SIHAMBA Now in a valley of the hills, something over an hour’s ride from the farm, and not far from the road that ran to Swart Piet’s place, lived the little Kaffir witch-doctoress, Sihamba Ngenyanga.
womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading This woman did not belong to any of the Transkei or neighbouring tribes, but had drifted down from the North; indeed, she was of Swazi or some such blood, though why she left her own people we did not know at that time.
yearsnounUS /jɪrz/
a late time of life
From this reading In appearance Sihamba was very strange, for, although healthy, perfectly shaped and copper-coloured rather than black, she was no taller than a child of twelve years old—a thing that made many people believe that she was a bush woman, which she most certainly was not.
