1850
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading A track now led across the desert.
plural of “age” — how long something has existed
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
alkalinounUS /ˈælkəlaɪ/
any of various water-soluble compounds capable of turning litmus blue and reacting with an acid to form a salt and water
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
aloftadverbUS /əˈlɔːft/
at or on or to the masthead or upper rigging of a ship
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
blastedadjectiveUS /ˈblæstəd/
expletives used informally as intensifiers
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
brazenadjectiveUS /ˈbreɪzən/
unrestrained by convention or propriety
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading But this year had brought something new.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But this year had brought something new.
chokingadjectiveUS /ˈtʃoʊ.kɪŋ/
Causing difficulty in breathing.
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading A track now led across the desert.
desolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/
the state of being decayed or destroyed
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
devilsnounUS /ˈdevəlz/
plural of “devil” — (Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
let fall to the ground
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
remove the dust from
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
HumboldtnounUS /ˈhʌmboʊlt/
German philologist noted for his studies of the relation between language and culture (1767-1835)
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
inlandadjectiveUS /ˈɪnlænd/
situated away from an area's coast or border
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
immediately past
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading A track now led across the 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 time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
miragenounUS /mərˈɑːʒ/
an optical illusion in which atmospheric refraction by a layer of hot air distorts or inverts reflections of distant objects
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading But this year had brought something new.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading A track now led across the desert.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
remoteadjectiveUS /rɪˈmoʊt/
located far away spatially
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
risenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪzən/
(of e.g. celestial bodies) above the horizon
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
shimmeredverbUS /ˈʃɪmərd/
past form of “shimmer” — shine with a weak or fitful light
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
SinkverbUS /sɪŋk/
fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading But this year had brought something new.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
stretchverbUS /stretʃ/
occupy a large, elongated area
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
suffocationnounUS /ˌsʌfəˈkeɪʃən/
killing by depriving of oxygen
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading But this year had brought something new.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading Thus it had been since in remote ages the last drop of the inland sea had risen into a brazen sky.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading A track now led across the desert.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The time was 1850, the place that long, soft, hot dry stretch of blasted desolation known as the Humboldt Sink.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
whirledverbUS /wɜːrld/
past form of “whirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading The sun stared, the heat rose in waves, the mirage shimmered, the dust devils of choking alkali whirled aloft or sank in suffocation on the hot earth.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading But this year had brought something new.
