used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were dead beyond a doubt, a fact which was easily proved.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
any thing at all
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading They were dead beyond a doubt, a fact which was easily proved.
plural of “body” — the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Or as if they had succumbed to some gentle poison that brought a painless death.
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading They were dead beyond a doubt, a fact which was easily proved.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading They were dead beyond a doubt, a fact which was easily proved.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading They were dead beyond a doubt, a fact which was easily proved.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading Or as if they had succumbed to some gentle poison that brought a painless death.
in a gradual manner
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
grazingnounUS /ˈɡreɪzɪŋ/
the act of grazing
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Or as if they had succumbed to some gentle poison that brought a painless death.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
not any; not one
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
win a victory over
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
painlessadjectiveUS /ˈpeɪnləs/
requiring little hard work or exertion
From this reading Or as if they had succumbed to some gentle poison that brought a painless death.
poisonverbUS /ˈpɔɪzən/
spoil as if by poison
From this reading Or as if they had succumbed to some gentle poison that brought a painless death.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
established beyond doubt
From this reading They were dead beyond a doubt, a fact which was easily proved.
free from harm or evil
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Or as if they had succumbed to some gentle poison that brought a painless death.
succumbedverbUS /səˈkʌmd/
past form of “succumb” — consent reluctantly
From this reading Or as if they had succumbed to some gentle poison that brought a painless death.
sunkadjectiveUS /sʌŋk/
doomed to extinction
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
in or at that place or location
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were dead beyond a doubt, a fact which was easily proved.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
the act of using
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
wastingnounUS /ˈweɪstɪŋ/
any general reduction in vitality and strength of body and mind resulting from a debilitating chronic disease
From this reading TO THE RESCUE There was no use wasting any time or sympathy over the dead cattle.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were dead beyond a doubt, a fact which was easily proved.
at the time that
From this reading The bodies lay in a natural position, as though the animals had been overcome when grazing and had sunk gently down.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They were dead beyond a doubt, a fact which was easily proved.
but in spite of that
From this reading And yet, as before, there was not a sign of anything that showed how they had met their death.
