used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
how long something has existed
From this reading Men and beasts often live to great age.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading In the dry clean air of the Southwest all things change slowly.
(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 In the dry clean air of the Southwest all things change slowly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Growth is slow and decay is even slower.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
plural of “beast” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Men and beasts often live to great age.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
(used in the plural) a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading In the dry clean air of the Southwest all things change slowly.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading In the dry clean air of the Southwest all things change slowly.
conquerorsnounUS /ˈkɑːŋkərərz/
plural of “conqueror” — someone who is victorious by force of arms
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
decaynounUS /dɪˈkeɪ/
the process of gradually becoming inferior
From this reading Growth is slow and decay is even slower.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
dessicates
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading In the dry clean air of the Southwest all things change slowly.
divisible by two
From this reading Growth is slow and decay is even slower.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
gnarledadjectiveUS /nɑːrld/
used of old persons or old trees; covered with knobs or knots
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Men and beasts often live to great age.
GrowthnounUS /ɡroʊθ/
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading Growth is slow and decay is even slower.
prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the dry clean air of the Southwest all things change slowly.
intactadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtækt/
constituting the undiminished entirety; lacking nothing essential especially not damaged
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Growth is slow and decay is even slower.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Men and beasts often live to great age.
the force of workers available
From this reading Men and beasts often live to great age.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the dry clean air of the Southwest all things change slowly.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Men and beasts often live to great age.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
and nothing more
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
by chance
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
pinonnoun
any of several low-growing pines of western North America
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
not used up
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
rotnounUS /rɑːt/
a state of decay usually accompanied by an offensive odor
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading Growth is slow and decay is even slower.
sloweradverbUS /ˈsloʊər/
more slowly
From this reading Growth is slow and decay is even slower.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading In the dry clean air of the Southwest all things change slowly.
SouthwestnounUS /ˌsaʊˈθwest/
the compass point midway between south and west; at 225 degrees
From this reading In the dry clean air of the Southwest all things change slowly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the dry clean air of the Southwest all things change slowly.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading In the dry clean air of the Southwest all things change slowly.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Men and beasts often live to great age.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
twistedadjectiveUS /ˈtwɪstɪd/
having an intended meaning altered or misrepresented
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
at the time that
From this reading The _pinon_ trees on the red hills were there when the conquerors came, and they are not much larger now—only more gnarled and twisted.
a late time of life
From this reading The body of a dead horse in the desert does not rot but dessicates, the hide remaining intact for months, the bones perhaps for years.
