used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
AdamsnounUS /ˈædəmz/
American Revolutionary leader and patriot; an organizer of the Boston Tea Party and signer of the Declaration of Independence (1722-1803)
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
(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 Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
alteredadjectiveUS /ˈɔːltərd/
changed in form or character without becoming something else
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
separated or at a distance in place or position or time
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
bitsnounUS /bɪts/
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
boggyadjective
(of soil) soft and watery
From this reading It was less boggy here, and the sunlight showed stronger through the dense roof of foliage.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
cakesnounUS /keɪks/
plural of “cake” — a block of solid substance (such as soap or wax)
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
calabashnoun
round gourd of the calabash tree
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
cassavanoun
a starch made by leaching and drying the root of the cassava plant; the source of tapioca; a staple food in the tropics
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
collectornounUS /kəˈlektər/
a person who collects things
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
denseadjectiveUS /dens/
permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter
From this reading It was less boggy here, and the sunlight showed stronger through the dense roof of foliage.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
euphorbianoun
type genus of the Euphorbiaceae: very large genus of diverse plants all having milky juice
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
foliagenounUS /ˈfoʊlɪdʒ/
the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading It was less boggy here, and the sunlight showed stronger through the dense roof of foliage.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
glimmersnounUS /ˈɡlɪmərz/
plural of “glimmer” — a flash of light (especially reflected light)
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
someone employed to conduct others
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
past form of “halt” — cause to stop
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading It was less boggy here, and the sunlight showed stronger through the dense roof of foliage.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
implyverbUS /ˌɪmˈplaɪ/
express or state indirectly
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
increasingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/
becoming greater or larger
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was less boggy here, and the sunlight showed stronger through the dense roof of foliage.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading It was less boggy here, and the sunlight showed stronger through the dense roof of foliage.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
not any; not one
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
the middle of the day
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
palmnounUS /pɑːm/
the inner surface of the hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
having a point
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
POOLSnounUS /puːlz/
plural of “pool” — an excavation that is (usually) filled with water
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
raphianoun
leaf fibers of the raffia palm tree; used to make baskets and mats etc.
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
past form of “resume” — take up or begin anew
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading It was less boggy here, and the sunlight showed stronger through the dense roof of foliage.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading It was less boggy here, and the sunlight showed stronger through the dense roof of foliage.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
solidadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləd/
characterized by good substantial quality
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
in or at or to some place
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
in the near future
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
strayverbUS /streɪ/
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
comparative of “strong” — having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading It was less boggy here, and the sunlight showed stronger through the dense roof of foliage.
the rays of the sun
From this reading It was less boggy here, and the sunlight showed stronger through the dense roof of foliage.
the rays of the sun
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
taintedadjectiveUS /ˈteɪntɪd/
touched by rot or decay
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading It was less boggy here, and the sunlight showed stronger through the dense roof of foliage.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
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 Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
a vivid mental image
From this reading THE VISION OF THE POOLS Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was less boggy here, and the sunlight showed stronger through the dense roof of foliage.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
(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 Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading Now, as they resumed their way, the trees altered and drew farther apart, the ground was solid under foot, and through the foliage of the euphorbia and raphia palm came stray glimmers of sunshine, bits of blue sky, birds, voices, and the whisper of a breeze.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The cassava cakes were tainted with must, and they had no water, but the increasing light made them forget everything but the freedom that was opening before them.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Adams pointed to the empty calabash which their guide carried, and the collector nodded and pointed before them, as if to imply that soon they would come to water and that all would be well.
