used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
AlbaniannounUS /ælˈbeɪniən/
a native or inhabitant of Albania
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
equally
From this reading The Almighty seemed to have blasted the mountains and the mountaineers alike.
(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 THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
AlmightynounUS /ɔːlˈmaɪti/
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading The Almighty seemed to have blasted the mountains and the mountaineers alike.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
tried unsuccessfully
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
BalkansnounUS /ˈbɔːlkənz/
the major mountain range of Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
blastedadjectiveUS /ˈblæstəd/
expletives used informally as intensifiers
From this reading The Almighty seemed to have blasted the mountains and the mountaineers alike.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading What a country, and what a people!
DAMNABLEadjective
deserving a curse
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Yet he had told Maryska that he would go, and go he did.
double-barrelledadjective
having two barrels mounted side by side
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
FaberadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪbər/
comparative of “fab” — extremely pleasing
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
frontiernounUS /frənˈtɪr/
a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Yet he had told Maryska that he would go, and go he did.
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Yet he had told Maryska that he would go, and go he did.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Yet he had told Maryska that he would go, and go he did.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
insanitynounUS /ˌɪnˈsænəti/
relatively permanent disorder of the mind
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
madmannounUS /ˈmædmæn/
an insane person
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
Maryska
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet he had told Maryska that he would go, and go he did.
a particular point in time
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
mountaineersnounUS /ˈmaʊntɪnɪrz/
plural of “mountaineer” — someone who climbs mountains
From this reading The Almighty seemed to have blasted the mountains and the mountaineers alike.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
not one, and not any
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading What a country, and what a people!
Ranovica
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The Almighty seemed to have blasted the mountains and the mountaineers alike.
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 None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Yet he had told Maryska that he would go, and go he did.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Yet he had told Maryska that he would go, and go he did.
any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What a country, and what a people!
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading THE DAMNABLE MOUNTAINS This was a bitter winter on the Albanian frontier, and God alone knows how the party got to Ranovica at all.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading None but a madman would have attempted the journey at such a moment in the story of the Balkans; but as John Faber remarked, it needed a double-barrelled charge of insanity to venture it in the winter.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet he had told Maryska that he would go, and go he did.
