used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
being joined in close association
From this reading The rheim was now unwound from the saplings to which it had attached itself, and the giraffe released from its irksome attitude.
a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways
From this reading The rheim was now unwound from the saplings to which it had attached itself, and the giraffe released from its irksome attitude.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
befallenverbUS /bəˈfɑːlən/
inflected form of “befall” — become of; happen to
From this reading No harm had yet befallen it.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
captivenounUS /ˈkæptɪv/
a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
one or the other of two
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
entangledadjectiveUS /enˈtæŋɡəld/
deeply involved especially in something complicated
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
giraffenounUS /dʒərˈæf/
tallest living quadruped; having a spotted coat and small horns and very long neck and legs; of savannahs of tropical Africa
From this reading The rheim was now unwound from the saplings to which it had attached itself, and the giraffe released from its irksome attitude.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
half-strangulation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
From this reading No harm had yet befallen it.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
Hendrik
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
provoking horror
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
irksomeadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrksəm/
so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
From this reading The rheim was now unwound from the saplings to which it had attached itself, and the giraffe released from its irksome attitude.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The rheim was now unwound from the saplings to which it had attached itself, and the giraffe released from its irksome attitude.
the production of eggs (especially in birds)
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
not any; not one
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
perishedverbUS /ˈperɪʃt/
past form of “perish” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
predatoryadjectiveUS /ˈpredətɔːri/
characterized by plundering or pillaging or marauding
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
releasedverbUS /riˈliːst/
past form of “release” — release, as from one's grip
From this reading The rheim was now unwound from the saplings to which it had attached itself, and the giraffe released from its irksome attitude.
rheim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
saplingsnounUS /ˈsæplɪŋz/
plural of “sapling” — young tree
From this reading The rheim was now unwound from the saplings to which it had attached itself, and the giraffe released from its irksome attitude.
rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
securedverbUS /sɪˈkjʊrd/
past form of “secure” — get by special effort
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
suicidaladjectiveUS /ˌsuːəˈsaɪdəl/
dangerous to yourself or your interests
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
thirstnounUS /θɜːrst/
a physiological need to drink
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The rheim was now unwound from the saplings to which it had attached itself, and the giraffe released from its irksome attitude.
unwoundverbUS /ənˈwaʊnd/
inflected form of “unwind” — reverse the winding or twisting of
From this reading The rheim was now unwound from the saplings to which it had attached itself, and the giraffe released from its irksome attitude.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The loose rheim, which it had carried away round its neck, had become entangled among the bushes, and it was now secured so that they had no difficulty in laying hold of it.
Willem
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Now, Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, as he gazed upon the captive with an expression of pride and pleasure, "is it not better that we have saved this poor creature than to have left it to die a horrible death?"
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Had they not come upon the spot, it would have perished either by the suicidal act of half-strangulation, from thirst, or by the teeth of some fierce predatory animal.
but in spite of that
From this reading No harm had yet befallen it.
