adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
adventnounUS /ˈædvent/
arrival that has been awaited (especially of something momentous)
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The cold desert wind came down upon us with the sudden darkness.
campnounUS /kæmp/
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
campfirenounUS /ˈkæmpfaɪər/
a small outdoor fire for warmth or cooking (as at a camp)
From this reading We huddled round the campfire, a tired and silent little group.
clumpnounUS /klʌmp/
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
coldadjectiveUS /koʊld/
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading The cold desert wind came down upon us with the sudden darkness.
darknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The cold desert wind came down upon us with the sudden darkness.
delightverbUS /dɪˈlaɪt/
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
desertverbUS /ˈdezərt/
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading The cold desert wind came down upon us with the sudden darkness.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The cold desert wind came down upon us with the sudden darkness.
driftingnounUS /ˈdrɪftɪŋ/
aimless wandering from place to place
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
EvenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/
divisible by two
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
faradverbUS /fɑːr/
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
findingnounUS /ˈfaɪndɪŋ/
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/
start firing a weapon
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
forgotverbUS /fərˈɡɑːt/
inflected form of “forget” — dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
groupnounUS /ɡruːp/
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading We huddled round the campfire, a tired and silent little group.
hailedverbUS /heɪld/
past form of “hail” — praise vociferously
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
huddledadjectiveUS /ˈhʌdəld/
crowded or massed together
From this reading We huddled round the campfire, a tired and silent little group.
likeverbUS /laɪk/
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading We huddled round the campfire, a tired and silent little group.
lonelyadjectiveUS /ˈloʊnli/
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
melancholynounUS /ˈmelənkɑːli/
a feeling of thoughtful sadness
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
MormonsnounUS /ˈmɔːrmənz/
church founded by Joseph Smith in 1830 with headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
NavajosnounUS /ˈnɑːvəhoʊz/
plural of “navajo” — a member of an Athapaskan people that migrated to Arizona and New Mexico and Utah
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
nearadverbUS /nɪr/
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
nightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
OnepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
pinyonnoun
any of several low-growing pines of western North America
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
prayverbUS /preɪ/
address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
roundnounUS /raʊnd/
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading We huddled round the campfire, a tired and silent little group.
sagenounUS /seɪdʒ/
a mentor in spiritual and philosophical topics who is renowned for profound wisdom
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
sandsnounUS /sændz/
the region of the shore of a lake or sea or ocean
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
shadowsnounUS /ˈʃædoʊz/
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
silentadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪlənt/
marked by absence of sound
From this reading We huddled round the campfire, a tired and silent little group.
singverbUS /sɪŋ/
deliver by singing
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
stolenounUS /stoʊl/
a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading The cold desert wind came down upon us with the sudden darkness.
sun-baked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
sundownnounUS /ˈsʌndaʊn/
the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading We huddled round the campfire, a tired and silent little group.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
trailnounUS /treɪl/
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
treesnounUS /triːz/
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 One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The cold desert wind came down upon us with the sudden darkness.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The cold desert wind came down upon us with the sudden darkness.
wanderingadjectiveUS /ˈwɑːndərɪŋ/
migratory
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
wastenounUS /weɪst/
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When out of the lonely, melancholy night some wandering Navajos stole like shadows to our fire, we hailed their advent with delight.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Even the Mormons, who were finding the trail for us across the drifting sands, forgot to sing and pray at sundown.
windnounUS /waɪnd/
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The cold desert wind came down upon us with the sudden darkness.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The cold desert wind came down upon us with the sudden darkness.
witheredadjectiveUS /ˈwɪðərd/
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
From this reading One afternoon, far out on the sun-baked waste of sage, we made camp near a clump of withered pinyon trees.
