used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Save for these five living creatures, all was death.
ArabsnounUS /ˈærəbz/
plural of “arab” — a member of a Semitic people originally from the Arabian peninsula and surrounding territories who speaks Arabic and who inhabits much of the Middle East and northern Africa
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
ardornounUS /ˈɑːrdər/
a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause)
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Save for these five living creatures, all was death.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Save for these five living creatures, all was death.
deathlikeadjective
having the physical appearance of death
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading THE DESERT The Desert.
desolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/
the state of being decayed or destroyed
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
dunesnounUS /duːnz/
plural of “dune” — a ridge of sand created by the wind; found in deserts or near lakes and oceans
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
emptinessnounUS /ˈemptinəs/
the state of containing nothing
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
extendingverbUS /ɪkˈstendɪŋ/
-ing form of “extend” — extend in scope or range or area
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
fantasticadjectiveUS /fænˈtæstɪk/
ludicrously odd
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading Save for these five living creatures, all was death.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Save for these five living creatures, all was death.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Four men, one woman.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
haggardadjectiveUS /ˈhæɡərd/
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
heat-quivering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
horizonsnounUS /hərˈaɪzənz/
plural of “horizon” — the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
Hu
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading Save for these five living creatures, all was death.
luridadjectiveUS /ˈlʊrəd/
horrible in fierceness or savagery
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
the force of workers available
From this reading Four men, one woman.
not one, and not any
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Four men, one woman.
OverprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
except for; apart from
From this reading Save for these five living creatures, all was death.
express in words
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
silencesnounUS /ˈsaɪlənsɪz/
plural of “silence” — the state of being silent (as when no one is speaking)
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
Siwa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
spacesnounUS /ˈspeɪsəz/
plural of “space” — the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DESERT The Desert.
in or at that place or location
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Save for these five living creatures, all was death.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
unbrokenadjectiveUS /ənˈbroʊkən/
marked by continuous or uninterrupted extension in space or time or sequence
From this reading Over terrible spaces, over immense listening silences of hard, unbroken dunes extending in haggard desolation to fantastic horizons of lurid ardor, hung a heat-quivering air of deathlike stillness.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Save for these five living creatures, all was death.
in or at the place that
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading All was that great emptiness which the Arabs call "La Siwa Hu"--that is to say, the land "where there is none but He."
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Four men, one woman.
