used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
arrestedverbUS /ərˈestɪd/
past form of “arrest” — take into custody
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
breccianoun
a rudaceous rock consisting of sharp fragments embedded in clay or sand
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
camelnounUS /ˈkæməl/
cud-chewing mammal used as a draft or saddle animal in desert regions
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
cliffsnounUS /klɪfs/
plural of “cliff” — a steep high face of rock
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
clingingverbUS /ˈklɪŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
having gaps or spaces
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
defiles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
brought about or set up or accepted; especially long established
From this reading It was in a rift of these cliffs that Gege-Merak had established himself.
the point or degree to which something extends
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
Gege-Merak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was in a rift of these cliffs that Gege-Merak had established himself.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
Hammemat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading It was in a rift of these cliffs that Gege-Merak had established himself.
huddledadjectiveUS /ˈhʌdəld/
crowded or massed together
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was in a rift of these cliffs that Gege-Merak had established himself.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
leisurelyadverbUS /ˈliːzərli/
in an unhurried way or at one's convenience
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
a brief written record
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
occurrencenounUS /əˈkɜːrəns/
an event that happens
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
a course of conduct
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
proceedingnounUS /prəˈsiːdɪŋ/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
racingnounUS /ˈreɪsɪŋ/
the sport of engaging in contests of speed
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
To recall to mind.
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
ridernounUS /ˈraɪdər/
a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
riftnounUS /rɪft/
a gap between cloud masses
From this reading It was in a rift of these cliffs that Gege-Merak had established himself.
robenounUS /roʊb/
any loose flowing garment
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
RomanadjectiveUS /ˈroʊmən/
relating to or characteristic of people of Rome
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
sandsnounUS /sændz/
the region of the shore of a lake or sea or ocean
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
sandyadjectiveUS /ˈsændi/
of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
move hurridly
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
successive (without a break)
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
stretchverbUS /stretʃ/
occupy a large, elongated area
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was in a rift of these cliffs that Gege-Merak had established himself.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It was in a rift of these cliffs that Gege-Merak had established himself.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For a short distance the beast made straight toward us, and we could see a rider clinging to its back—a huddled up figure dressed in a green and scarlet robe.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was in a rift of these cliffs that Gege-Merak had established himself.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
at the time that
From this reading We were proceeding leisurely across the sands and had come near enough to the edge of the mountain to note well its defiles, when our attention was arrested by a strange occurrence.
in or at the place that
From this reading A camel came racing at full speed from the hill path and dashed out upon the flat desert where we rode.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
witnessedverbUS /ˈwɪtnəst/
past form of “witness” — be a witness to
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Beyond the old Roman well, which had this morning witnessed so strange a tragedy, there lay, as you will remember, a stretch of sandy desert some five miles in extent, beyond which rose the black breccia cliffs of the Hammemat Mountains.
