used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading For months the doughty hunters had gathered but few supplies.
plural of “call” — a telephone connection
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading The prospect of the coming winter was ominous indeed.
doughty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For months the doughty hunters had gathered but few supplies.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
excursionsnounUS /ɪkˈskɜːrʒənz/
plural of “excursion” — a journey taken for pleasure
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For months the doughty hunters had gathered but few supplies.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading Joy filled them in the prospect of securing supplies--and possible success in love--at last.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For months the doughty hunters had gathered but few supplies.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
brought together in one place
From this reading For months the doughty hunters had gathered but few supplies.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For months the doughty hunters had gathered but few supplies.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
huntersnounUS /ˈhʌntərz/
plural of “hunter” — someone who hunts game
From this reading For months the doughty hunters had gathered but few supplies.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading The prospect of the coming winter was ominous indeed.
inspiringadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈspaɪrɪŋ/
stimulating or exalting to the spirit
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading Joy filled them in the prospect of securing supplies--and possible success in love--at last.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
immediately past
From this reading Joy filled them in the prospect of securing supplies--and possible success in love--at last.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading Joy filled them in the prospect of securing supplies--and possible success in love--at last.
meagreadjective
deficient in amount or quality or extent
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
migratingverbUS /ˈmaɪɡreɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “migrate” — move from one country or region to another and settle there
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading For months the doughty hunters had gathered but few supplies.
used to form the superlative
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The prospect of the coming winter was ominous indeed.
ominousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːmənəs/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading The prospect of the coming winter was ominous indeed.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading Joy filled them in the prospect of securing supplies--and possible success in love--at last.
the possibility of future success
From this reading The prospect of the coming winter was ominous indeed.
resultsnounUS /rɪˈzʌlts/
plural of “result” — a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
scouredadjectiveUS /ˈskaʊərd/
worn away as by water or ice or wind
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
securingverbUS /sɪˈkjʊrɪŋ/
-ing form of “secure” — get by special effort
From this reading Joy filled them in the prospect of securing supplies--and possible success in love--at last.
an event that accomplishes its intended purpose
From this reading Joy filled them in the prospect of securing supplies--and possible success in love--at last.
suppliesnounUS /səˈplaɪz/
plural of “supply” — an amount of something available for use
From this reading For months the doughty hunters had gathered but few supplies.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For months the doughty hunters had gathered but few supplies.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
tribesnounUS /traɪbz/
plural of “tribe” — a social division of (usually preliterate) people
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
tribesmennounUS /ˈtraɪbzmɪn/
plural of “tribesman” — someone who lives in a tribe
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
visitingnounUS /ˈvɪzɪtɪŋ/
the activity of making visits
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
walrusnounUS /ˈwɔːlrəs/
either of two large northern marine mammals having ivory tusks and tough hide over thick blubber
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
migratory
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The prospect of the coming winter was ominous indeed.
(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 At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading The prospect of the coming winter was ominous indeed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Wandering up and down the coast in their migrating excursions the tribes had scoured land and sea with but meagre results.
plural of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading At the village from which they now heard the inspiring walrus calls, a dozen visiting tribesmen--most of them in search for wives as well as game--had gathered.
