used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The ruined landing field was lit by dancing shadows from a huge bonfire.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
bankruptverbUS /ˈbæŋkrəpt/
reduce to bankruptcy
From this reading They--the war lords--the civilization was bankrupt-- There were no stars.
batteredadjectiveUS /ˈbætərd/
damaged by blows or hard usage
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Beyond the dancing fire the night waited threateningly.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
bonfirenounUS /ˈbɑːnfaɪər/
a large outdoor fire that is lighted as a signal or in celebration
From this reading The ruined landing field was lit by dancing shadows from a huge bonfire.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The ruined landing field was lit by dancing shadows from a huge bonfire.
civilizationnounUS /ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən/
a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)
From this reading They--the war lords--the civilization was bankrupt-- There were no stars.
taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music
From this reading The ruined landing field was lit by dancing shadows from a huge bonfire.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
opinion or judgment
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading The ruined landing field was lit by dancing shadows from a huge bonfire.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading The mercenaries of the war lords had fought their last paying fight.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Beyond the dancing fire the night waited threateningly.
plural of “flame” — the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
forlornadjectiveUS /fərˈlɔːrn/
marked by or showing hopelessness
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading The mercenaries of the war lords had fought their last paying fight.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The ruined landing field was lit by dancing shadows from a huge bonfire.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The mercenaries of the war lords had fought their last paying fight.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading The ruined landing field was lit by dancing shadows from a huge bonfire.
an intermediate platform in a staircase
From this reading The ruined landing field was lit by dancing shadows from a huge bonfire.
immediately past
From this reading The mercenaries of the war lords had fought their last paying fight.
leapingnounUS /ˈliːpɪŋ/
a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
provided with artificial light
From this reading The ruined landing field was lit by dancing shadows from a huge bonfire.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
lordsnounUS /lɔːrdz/
plural of “lord” — terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading The mercenaries of the war lords had fought their last paying fight.
mercenariesnounUS /ˈmɜːrsəneriz/
plural of “mercenary” — a person hired to fight for another country than their own
From this reading The mercenaries of the war lords had fought their last paying fight.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Beyond the dancing fire the night waited threateningly.
not any; not one
From this reading They--the war lords--the civilization was bankrupt-- There were no stars.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The mercenaries of the war lords had fought their last paying fight.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
yielding a fair profit
From this reading The mercenaries of the war lords had fought their last paying fight.
destroyed physically or morally
From this reading The ruined landing field was lit by dancing shadows from a huge bonfire.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading The ruined landing field was lit by dancing shadows from a huge bonfire.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading They--the war lords--the civilization was bankrupt-- There were no stars.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The mercenaries of the war lords had fought their last paying fight.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The mercenaries of the war lords had fought their last paying fight.
in or at that place or location
From this reading They--the war lords--the civilization was bankrupt-- There were no stars.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They--the war lords--the civilization was bankrupt-- There were no stars.
threateninglyadverbUS /ˈθretənɪŋli/
in a menacing manner
From this reading Beyond the dancing fire the night waited threateningly.
towersnounUS /ˈtaʊərz/
plural of “tower” — a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Beyond the dancing fire the night waited threateningly.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading The mercenaries of the war lords had fought their last paying fight.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They--the war lords--the civilization was bankrupt-- There were no stars.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They--the war lords--the civilization was bankrupt-- There were no stars.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With forlorn, hollow eyes the broken towers looked down upon the field, the leaping flames, and the one battered space boat.
