Chapter I

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

in the past

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

dried out by heat or excessive exposure to sunlight

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

cause to be bored

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

plural of “brow” — the part of the face above the eyes

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

British statesman famous for his oratory; pleaded the cause of the American colonists in British Parliament and defended the parliamentary system (1729-1797)

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

(astronomy) an indistinct surface feature of Mars once thought to be a system of channels; they are now believed to be an optical illusion

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

inflected form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

plural of “conqueror” — someone who is victorious by force of arms

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

not carefully or expertly made

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

having or marked by a curve or smoothly rounded bend

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

luxuriously self-indulgent

From this reading Oh, how decadent these Martians were!

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

conceived of or imagined or hoped for

From this reading More softly laughed the Martians, who dreamed of laughing last....

covered with a layer of dust

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

lacking in physical beauty or proportion

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Oh, how decadent these Martians were!

a mass of ice and snow that permanently covers a large area of land (e.g., the polar regions or a mountain peak)

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

an event that occurs at a critical time

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

immediately past

From this reading More softly laughed the Martians, who dreamed of laughing last....

past form of “laugh” — produce laughter

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness

From this reading More softly laughed the Martians, who dreamed of laughing last....

a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

with relatively high volume

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

a small reddish planet that is the 4th from the sun and is periodically visible to the naked eye; minerals rich in iron cover its surface and are responsible for its characteristic color

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

plural of “martian” — imaginary people who live on the planet Mars

From this reading Oh, how decadent these Martians were!

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading More softly laughed the Martians, who dreamed of laughing last....

in motion

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

not one, and not any

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading Oh, how decadent these Martians were!

being directly across from each other; facing

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

above and across; more than

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

inspiring mixed contempt and pity

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

used or designed for residence or limited to residences

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

plural of “shrine” — a place of worship hallowed by association with some sacred thing or person

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

an elevated geological formation

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

with low volume

From this reading More softly laughed the Martians, who dreamed of laughing last....

past form of “stagger” — walk as if unable to control one's movements

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

spreading out in different directions or distributed irregularly

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

sweep across or over

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

plural of “temple” — place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

plural of “terrace” — usually paved outdoor area adjoining a residence

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

in or at that place or location

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Oh, how decadent these Martians were!

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Burke, Barnes and the rest of the Conquerors laughed loudly at the dusty shrines, those crude and homely temples in the desert.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

very sad; especially involving grief or death or destruction

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

a ditch dug as a fortification having a parapet of the excavated earth

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

too much to be measured

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

the topmost one of two

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

United States actress and singer (1896-1977)

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Oh, how decadent these Martians were!

at the time that

From this reading When the Martians had built the village of Kinkaaka there had been water in the canal, a cool, level sweep of green water from the northern icecap.

which person or people

From this reading More softly laughed the Martians, who dreamed of laughing last....

in the company of; together with

From this reading Now there was none, and Kinkaaka clung to the upper swell of the bank and curved its staggered residential terraces like tragic brows over the long slope of sand and clay, the dead wall baked criss-cross by the sun, that bore at its deep juncture with the opposite bank the pitiful, straggling trench cut by Mars' last moving waters an untold time ago.