used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A CLOSE CALL They had made half the distance to the village.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Another appeared, then another and another, until there were six.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Suddenly there appeared from out one of these clumps of scrub trees, a gray streak.
installation from which a military force initiates operations
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading A CLOSE CALL They had made half the distance to the village.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading A CLOSE CALL They had made half the distance to the village.
clumpnounUS /klʌmp/
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
clumpsnounUS /klʌmps/
plural of “clump” — a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading Suddenly there appeared from out one of these clumps of scrub trees, a gray streak.
disasternounUS /dɪˈzæstər/
a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune
From this reading Hopes were running high, when something occurred which threatened disaster.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading A CLOSE CALL They had made half the distance to the village.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
firnounUS /fɜːr/
nonresinous wood of a fir tree
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Suddenly there appeared from out one of these clumps of scrub trees, a gray streak.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading Suddenly there appeared from out one of these clumps of scrub trees, a gray streak.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A CLOSE CALL They had made half the distance to the village.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading A CLOSE CALL They had made half the distance to the village.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Hopes were running high, when something occurred which threatened disaster.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading Hopes were running high, when something occurred which threatened disaster.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading A CLOSE CALL They had made half the distance to the village.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading Hopes were running high, when something occurred which threatened disaster.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Suddenly there appeared from out one of these clumps of scrub trees, a gray streak.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Suddenly there appeared from out one of these clumps of scrub trees, a gray streak.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading Hopes were running high, when something occurred which threatened disaster.
scragglyadjectiveUS /ˈskræɡli/
ragged, thin, or untidy in appearance
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
scrubverbUS /skrʌb/
clean with hard rubbing
From this reading Suddenly there appeared from out one of these clumps of scrub trees, a gray streak.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading Another appeared, then another and another, until there were six.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Hopes were running high, when something occurred which threatened disaster.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
streaknounUS /striːk/
an unbroken series of events
From this reading Suddenly there appeared from out one of these clumps of scrub trees, a gray streak.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Suddenly there appeared from out one of these clumps of scrub trees, a gray streak.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A CLOSE CALL They had made half the distance to the village.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Another appeared, then another and another, until there were six.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Suddenly there appeared from out one of these clumps of scrub trees, a gray streak.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A CLOSE CALL They had made half the distance to the village.
(of flora or fauna) likely in the near future to become endangered
From this reading Hopes were running high, when something occurred which threatened disaster.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A CLOSE CALL They had made half the distance to the village.
travelingnounUS /ˈtrævəlɪŋ/
the act of going from one place to another
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
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 Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Another appeared, then another and another, until there were six.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading A CLOSE CALL They had made half the distance to the village.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Hopes were running high, when something occurred which threatened disaster.
at the time that
From this reading Hopes were running high, when something occurred which threatened disaster.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Hopes were running high, when something occurred which threatened disaster.
wind-torn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far up on the side of the hill along the base of which they were traveling, there stood here and there a clump of scraggly, wind-torn fir trees.
