used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “It’s a church!” said Eirene, in tones of horror.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And they say that we are to sleep behind the _ikonostasis_!”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading And they say that we are to sleep behind the _ikonostasis_!”
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “Well, I suppose it was a church once, but it’s only a ruin now,” said Zoe.
one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading “It’s a church!” said Eirene, in tones of horror.
climbingnounUS /ˈklaɪmɪŋ/
an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
dwellingnounUS /ˈdwelɪŋ/
housing that someone is living in
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
Eirene
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It’s a church!” said Eirene, in tones of horror.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
intense and profound fear
From this reading “It’s a church!” said Eirene, in tones of horror.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Well, I suppose it was a church once, but it’s only a ruin now,” said Zoe.
ikonostasis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And they say that we are to sleep behind the _ikonostasis_!”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “It’s a church!” said Eirene, in tones of horror.
having much knowledge or education
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “But to live in it--it is sacrilege!
isolatedadjectiveUS /ˈaɪsəleɪtəd/
not close together in time
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Well, I suppose it was a church once, but it’s only a ruin now,” said Zoe.
It's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It’s a church!” said Eirene, in tones of horror.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading “But to live in it--it is sacrilege!
mountain-peaks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Well, I suppose it was a church once, but it’s only a ruin now,” said Zoe.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “It’s a church!” said Eirene, in tones of horror.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
on one occasion
From this reading “Well, I suppose it was a church once, but it’s only a ruin now,” said Zoe.
and nothing more
From this reading “Well, I suppose it was a church once, but it’s only a ruin now,” said Zoe.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
From this reading “Well, I suppose it was a church once, but it’s only a ruin now,” said Zoe.
sacrilegenounUS /ˈsækrələdʒ/
blasphemous behavior; the act of depriving something of its sacred character
From this reading “But to live in it--it is sacrilege!
put a saddle on
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “It’s a church!” said Eirene, in tones of horror.
express in words
From this reading And they say that we are to sleep behind the _ikonostasis_!”
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading And they say that we are to sleep behind the _ikonostasis_!”
having a supporting base
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
express a supposition
From this reading “Well, I suppose it was a church once, but it’s only a ruin now,” said Zoe.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And they say that we are to sleep behind the _ikonostasis_!”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
plural of “tone” — the quality of a person's voice
From this reading “It’s a church!” said Eirene, in tones of horror.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Well, I suppose it was a church once, but it’s only a ruin now,” said Zoe.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading And they say that we are to sleep behind the _ikonostasis_!”
(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 “Well, I suppose it was a church once, but it’s only a ruin now,” said Zoe.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Another day of climbing had brought them out of the forest, and up to an isolated building standing on the saddle between two mountain-peaks, which they were informed was to be their dwelling for the present.
Zoe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, I suppose it was a church once, but it’s only a ruin now,” said Zoe.
