Chapter III · Chapter 3

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

plural of “age” — how long something has existed

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

a large-scale farming enterprise

From this reading Greece is a bleak, unsmiling desert, without agriculture, manufactures or commerce, apparently.

(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 From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

from appearances alone

From this reading Greece is a bleak, unsmiling desert, without agriculture, manufactures or commerce, apparently.

a group of many islands in a large body of water

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

the capital and largest city of Greece; named after Athena (its patron goddess)

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

providing no shelter or sustenance

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading I suppose that ancient Greece and modern Greece compared, furnish the most extravagant contrast to be found in history.

offering little or no hope

From this reading Greece is a bleak, unsmiling desert, without agriculture, manufactures or commerce, apparently.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

plural of “column” — a line of units following one after another

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

transactions (sales and purchases) having the objective of supplying commodities (goods and services)

From this reading Greece is a bleak, unsmiling desert, without agriculture, manufactures or commerce, apparently.

past form of “compare” — examine and note the similarities or differences of

From this reading I suppose that ancient Greece and modern Greece compared, furnish the most extravagant contrast to be found in history.

the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared

From this reading I suppose that ancient Greece and modern Greece compared, furnish the most extravagant contrast to be found in history.

leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading Greece is a bleak, unsmiling desert, without agriculture, manufactures or commerce, apparently.

forsaken by owner or inhabitants

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

the state of being decayed or destroyed

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

at any time

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

unrestrained, especially with regard to feelings

From this reading I suppose that ancient Greece and modern Greece compared, furnish the most extravagant contrast to be found in history.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

in harmony with the spirit of particular persons or occasion

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

set up or found

From this reading I suppose that ancient Greece and modern Greece compared, furnish the most extravagant contrast to be found in history.

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

give something useful or necessary to

From this reading I suppose that ancient Greece and modern Greece compared, furnish the most extravagant contrast to be found in history.

the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit

From this reading What supports its poverty-stricken people or its Government, is a mystery.

characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

shoot down, of birds

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

of or relating to or characteristic of Greece or the Greeks or the Greek language

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

a republic in southeastern Europe on the southern part of the Balkan peninsula; known for grapes and olives and olive oil

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

only a very short time before

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

the aggregate of past events

From this reading I suppose that ancient Greece and modern Greece compared, furnish the most extravagant contrast to be found in history.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I suppose that ancient Greece and modern Greece compared, furnish the most extravagant contrast to be found in history.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Greece is a bleak, unsmiling desert, without agriculture, manufactures or commerce, apparently.

plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

not close together in time

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading What supports its poverty-stricken people or its Government, is a mystery.

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

lacking companions or companionship

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

plural of “manufacture” — the organized action of making of goods and services for sale

From this reading Greece is a bleak, unsmiling desert, without agriculture, manufactures or commerce, apparently.

belonging to the modern era; since the Middle Ages

From this reading I suppose that ancient Greece and modern Greece compared, furnish the most extravagant contrast to be found in history.

used to form the superlative

From this reading I suppose that ancient Greece and modern Greece compared, furnish the most extravagant contrast to be found in history.

something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

From this reading What supports its poverty-stricken people or its Government, is a mystery.

not any; not one

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading What supports its poverty-stricken people or its Government, is a mystery.

(of farmland) broken and turned over with a plow

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

poor enough to need help from others

From this reading What supports its poverty-stricken people or its Government, is a mystery.

cut with a saw

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

only a very short time before

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

plural of “support” — the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities

From this reading What supports its poverty-stricken people or its Government, is a mystery.

express a supposition

From this reading I suppose that ancient Greece and modern Greece compared, furnish the most extravagant contrast to be found in history.

having something on top

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading I suppose that ancient Greece and modern Greece compared, furnish the most extravagant contrast to be found in history.

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

not smiling

From this reading Greece is a bleak, unsmiling desert, without agriculture, manufactures or commerce, apparently.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

all the plant life in a particular region or period

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

precisely as stated

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

plural of “village” — a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading We saw no ploughed fields, very few villages, no trees or grass or vegetation of any kind, scarcely, and hardly ever an isolated house.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading From Athens all through the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, we saw little but forbidding sea-walls and barren hills, sometimes surmounted by three or four graceful columns of some ancient temple, lonely and deserted--a fitting symbol of the desolation that has come upon all Greece in these latter ages.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What supports its poverty-stricken people or its Government, is a mystery.

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Greece is a bleak, unsmiling desert, without agriculture, manufactures or commerce, apparently.