used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading About the middle of the afternoon they halted for a moment’s consultation.
AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading About the middle of the afternoon they halted for a moment’s consultation.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading About the middle of the afternoon they halted for a moment’s consultation.
anew
From this reading Five minutes later the little party was on the move again.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The suspense was growing to be almost unendurable to him.
eagerly desirous
From this reading He had long been anxious to reach the village.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The suspense was growing to be almost unendurable to him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had long been anxious to reach the village.
consultationnounUS /ˌkɑːnsəlˈteɪʃən/
a conference (usually with someone important)
From this reading About the middle of the afternoon they halted for a moment’s consultation.
Darke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
encampmentnounUS /ɪnˈkæmpmɪnt/
a site where people on holiday can pitch a tent
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading Five minutes later the little party was on the move again.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading About the middle of the afternoon they halted for a moment’s consultation.
(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 The suspense was growing to be almost unendurable to him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had long been anxious to reach the village.
half-dozenadjectiveUS /ˈhæfdʌzən/
denoting a quantity consisting of six items or units
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
past form of “halt” — cause to stop
From this reading About the middle of the afternoon they halted for a moment’s consultation.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had long been anxious to reach the village.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
having much knowledge or education
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Five minutes later the little party was on the move again.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Five minutes later the little party was on the move again.
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 He had long been anxious to reach the village.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading About the middle of the afternoon they halted for a moment’s consultation.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading Five minutes later the little party was on the move again.
moment'snounUS /ˈmoʊmənts/
possessive form of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading About the middle of the afternoon they halted for a moment’s consultation.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Five minutes later the little party was on the move again.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading About the middle of the afternoon they halted for a moment’s consultation.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Five minutes later the little party was on the move again.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading Five minutes later the little party was on the move again.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading He had long been anxious to reach the village.
scoutnounUS /skaʊt/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
suspensenounUS /səˈspens/
apprehension about what is going to happen
From this reading The suspense was growing to be almost unendurable to him.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Five minutes later the little party was on the move again.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading About the middle of the afternoon they halted for a moment’s consultation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had long been anxious to reach the village.
unendurableadjective
incapable of being tolerated or endured
From this reading The suspense was growing to be almost unendurable to him.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading He had long been anxious to reach the village.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Five minutes later the little party was on the move again.
at the time that
From this reading Darke was not surprised when the scout informed him that the Indian encampment was not more than a half-dozen miles distant.
