used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
abjectadjectiveUS /ˈæbdʒekt/
of the most contemptible kind
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
aboriginaladjectiveUS /ˌæbərˈɪdʒənəl/
characteristic of or relating to people inhabiting a region from the beginning
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
absentadjectiveUS /ˈæbsənt/
not being in a specified place
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
move towards
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
blacksnounUS /blæks/
plural of “black” — the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
chattered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes rolled, his teeth chattered, and every now and then he would shiver convulsively.
anything that covers or conceals
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
CONFESSIONnounUS /kənˈfeʃən/
an admission of misdeeds or faults
From this reading THE CONFESSION.
convulsivelyadverb
with convulsions, in a convulsive way
From this reading His eyes rolled, his teeth chattered, and every now and then he would shiver convulsively.
costumenounUS /kɑːˈstuːm/
the attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
divisible by two
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading His eyes rolled, his teeth chattered, and every now and then he would shiver convulsively.
opinion or judgment
From this reading His eyes rolled, his teeth chattered, and every now and then he would shiver convulsively.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
set up or found
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
hutsnounUS /hʌts/
plural of “hut” — temporary military shelter
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
jacketnounUS /ˈdʒækət/
a short coat
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
used to form the superlative
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
nakedadjectiveUS /ˈneɪkəd/
completely unclothed
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading His eyes rolled, his teeth chattered, and every now and then he would shiver convulsively.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
opossum-skin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
in other respects or ways
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
panic-strickenadjective
thrown into a state of intense fear or desperation
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
PeelverbUS /piːl/
strip the skin off
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading His eyes rolled, his teeth chattered, and every now and then he would shiver convulsively.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
shiververbUS /ˈʃɪvər/
tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
From this reading His eyes rolled, his teeth chattered, and every now and then he would shiver convulsively.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
not in physical motion
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading His eyes rolled, his teeth chattered, and every now and then he would shiver convulsively.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CONFESSION.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading His eyes rolled, his teeth chattered, and every now and then he would shiver convulsively.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
trousersnounUS /ˈtraʊzərz/
(usually in the plural) a garment extending from the waist to the knee or ankle, covering each leg separately
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading He had been absent from the huts for nearly half an hour, but we found the three blacks still in a state of the most abject fear.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
at the time that
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading His eyes rolled, his teeth chattered, and every now and then he would shiver convulsively.
covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak
From this reading When I had first seen him he was dressed in jacket and trousers, but now he was in his aboriginal costume, an opossum-skin cloak wrapped round his otherwise perfectly naked form.
used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father
From this reading They started with dread even at our approach; and, what surprised me much, Peel seemed even more panic-stricken than his younger companions.
