used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
acquaintancesnounUS /əˈkweɪntənsɪz/
plural of “acquaintance” — personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
a positive feeling of liking
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
akinadjectiveUS /əˈkɪn/
similar in quality or character
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
Alalus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
ape-mannoun
hypothetical organism formerly thought to be intermediate between apes and human beings
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
armamentnounUS /ˈɑːrməmənt/
weaponry used by military or naval force
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
barknounUS /bɑːrk/
tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
accepted or habitual practice
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
any strong feeling
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
divisible by two
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
at any time
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
fednounUS /fed/
any federal law-enforcement officer
From this reading For the most part, however, they fed upon fruits, nuts and tubers.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
flooredadjectiveUS /flɔːrd/
provided with a floor
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the most part, however, they fed upon fruits, nuts and tubers.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
fruitsnounUS /fruːts/
plural of “fruit” — the ripened reproductive body of a seed plant
From this reading For the most part, however, they fed upon fruits, nuts and tubers.
grubnounUS /ɡrʌb/
informal terms for a meal
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
not accessible to view
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading For the most part, however, they fed upon fruits, nuts and tubers.
huntedadjectiveUS /ˈhʌntəd/
reflecting the fear or terror of one who is hunted
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
inoffensiveadjectiveUS /ˌɪnəˈfensɪv/
not causing anger or annoyance
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
insectnounUS /ˈɪnsekt/
small air-breathing arthropod
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
lusciousadjectiveUS /ˈlʌʃɪs/
having strong sexual appeal
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
malesnounUS /meɪlz/
plural of “male” — an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
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 To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
moldnounUS /moʊld/
the distinctive form in which a thing is made
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
used to form the superlative
From this reading For the most part, however, they fed upon fruits, nuts and tubers.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
nutsadjectiveUS /nʌts/
informal or slang terms for mentally irregular
From this reading For the most part, however, they fed upon fruits, nuts and tubers.
occasionaladjectiveUS /əˈkeɪʒənəl/
occurring from time to time
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
sporadically and infrequently
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
and nothing more
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading For the most part, however, they fed upon fruits, nuts and tubers.
primitiveadjectiveUS /ˈprɪmətɪv/
belonging to an early stage of technical development; characterized by simplicity and (often) crudeness
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
rangedverbUS /reɪndʒd/
past form of “range” — change or be different within limits
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
rodentnounUS /ˈroʊdənt/
relatively small placental mammals having a single pair of constantly growing incisor teeth specialized for gnawing
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
a male human offspring
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
speciesnounUS /ˈspiːʃiz/
(biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
put, fix, force, or implant
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
tubersnounUS /ˈtuːbərs/
plural of “tuber” — a fleshy underground stem or root serving for reproductive and food storage
From this reading For the most part, however, they fed upon fruits, nuts and tubers.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading To the former an occasional rodent fell and the latter discovered many a luscious grub and insect beneath the mold that floored the forest or hidden under the bark of a tree.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading For the most part, however, they fed upon fruits, nuts and tubers.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His new acquaintances showed little interest in his strange armament--they were quite content with a stick and a stone knife.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Instead he fell in with two older males of his own species, and these three hunted together, as was occasionally the custom of these inoffensive creatures.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading The Alalus youth, son of The First Woman, ranged the forest in search of the ape-man, the only creature that ever had stirred within his savage, primitive breast any emotion even slightly akin to affection; but he did not find him.
