used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The way dropped rapidly and after her first wild spurt Rhoda leaned exhausted and panting against a boulder.
(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 Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
bleedingnounUS /ˈbliːdɪŋ/
the flow of blood from a ruptured blood vessel
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
bouldernounUS /ˈboʊldər/
a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin
From this reading The way dropped rapidly and after her first wild spurt Rhoda leaned exhausted and panting against a boulder.
buckskinnounUS /ˈbʌkskɪn/
horse of a light yellowish dun color with dark mane and tail
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
cat's-clawnoun
erect shrub with small if any spines having racemes of white to yellow flowers followed by curved pointed pods and black shiny seeds; West Indies and Florida
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
chollanounUS /ˈtʃɑːlə/
arborescent cacti having very spiny cylindrical stem segments; southwestern United States and Mexico
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
crawlingnounUS /ˈkrɔːlɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
detainingverbUS /dɪˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “detain” — deprive of freedom; take into confinement
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading The way dropped rapidly and after her first wild spurt Rhoda leaned exhausted and panting against a boulder.
divisible by two
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
apart from; not including
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
From this reading The way dropped rapidly and after her first wild spurt Rhoda leaned exhausted and panting against a boulder.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
FIRSTadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
set up or found
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
the act of departing
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
gratefullyadverbUS /ˈɡreɪtfəli/
with appreciation; in a grateful manner
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
growthnounUS /ɡroʊθ/
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
Kut-le
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading The way dropped rapidly and after her first wild spurt Rhoda leaned exhausted and panting against a boulder.
a unit of instruction
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
on one occasion
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
pantingnounUS /ˈpæntɪŋ/
breathing heavily (as after exertion)
From this reading The way dropped rapidly and after her first wild spurt Rhoda leaned exhausted and panting against a boulder.
with speed
From this reading The way dropped rapidly and after her first wild spurt Rhoda leaned exhausted and panting against a boulder.
resistedverbUS /rɪˈzɪstɪd/
past form of “resist” — elude, especially in a baffling way
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
Rhoda
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
spurtverbUS /spɜːrt/
gush forth in a sudden stream or jet
From this reading The way dropped rapidly and after her first wild spurt Rhoda leaned exhausted and panting against a boulder.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
thickeradjectiveUS /ˈθɪkər/
comparative of “thick” — not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
thicklyadverbUS /ˈθɪkli/
spoken with poor articulation as if with a thick tongue
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
thornsnounUS /θɔːrnz/
plural of “thorn” — something that causes irritation and annoyance
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
in an exhaustive manner
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
having edges that are jagged from injury
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
trousersnounUS /ˈtraʊzərz/
(usually in the plural) a garment extending from the waist to the knee or ankle, covering each leg separately
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
vaguestadjectiveUS /ˈveɪɡɪst/
superlative of “vague” — not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
valiantlyadverbUS /ˈvæljəntli/
with valor; in a valiant manner
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The way dropped rapidly and after her first wild spurt Rhoda leaned exhausted and panting against a boulder.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
in or at the place that
From this reading She had not the vaguest idea of where she was going or of what she was going to do, except that she was going to lose herself so thoroughly that not even Kut-le could find her.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Almost at once her hands were torn and bleeding and she thought gratefully for the first time of her buckskin trousers which valiantly resisted all detaining thorns.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading The way dropped rapidly and after her first wild spurt Rhoda leaned exhausted and panting against a boulder.
wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading THE FIRST LESSON After crawling on her hands and knees for several yards, Rhoda rose and started on a run down the long slope to the open desert.
yuccanounUS /ˈjʌkə/
any of several evergreen plants of the genus Yucca having usually tall stout stems and a terminal cluster of white flowers; warmer regions of North America
From this reading But after a few steps she found running impossible, for the slope was a wilderness of rock, thickly grown with cholla and yucca with here and there a thicker growth of cat's-claw.
