used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Gossip, starting like a small fire, got bigger and bigger.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Gossip, starting like a small fire, got bigger and bigger.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment
From this reading And as always he ate and drank with the gayest of the company.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
biggeradjectiveUS /ˈbɪɡər/
large or big relative to something else
From this reading Gossip, starting like a small fire, got bigger and bigger.
communicateverbUS /kəˈmjuːnəkeɪt/
transmit information
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading And as always he ate and drank with the gayest of the company.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
inflected form of “drink” — take in liquids
From this reading And as always he ate and drank with the gayest of the company.
take in liquids
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
take in solid food
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading One occasion especially helped this evil rumor.
morally objectionable behavior
From this reading One occasion especially helped this evil rumor.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Gossip, starting like a small fire, got bigger and bigger.
brought together in one place
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
gayest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And as always he ate and drank with the gayest of the company.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
GossipnounUS /ˈɡɑːsəp/
light informal conversation for social occasions
From this reading Gossip, starting like a small fire, got bigger and bigger.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Gossip, starting like a small fire, got bigger and bigger.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And as always he ate and drank with the gayest of the company.
past form of “help” — give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading One occasion especially helped this evil rumor.
holidaynounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪ/
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Gossip, starting like a small fire, got bigger and bigger.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading One occasion especially helped this evil rumor.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One occasion especially helped this evil rumor.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
rumornounUS /ˈruːmər/
gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth
From this reading One occasion especially helped this evil rumor.
shamanistadjective
of or relating to shamanism
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Gossip, starting like a small fire, got bigger and bigger.
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
(especially of eyes) bulging or protruding as with fear
From this reading Gossip, starting like a small fire, got bigger and bigger.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading One occasion especially helped this evil rumor.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
which person or people
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
in the company of; together with
From this reading As always, the shamanist was present--a man believed to have power to communicate with the good and evil spirits who were part of an ancient faith.
a late time of life
From this reading On a holiday, years before, the people of the valley had gathered to eat and drink and dance.
