used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
(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 Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There were some shouts at the pioneers, and certain dubious compliments, but Oscar did not hear and Helga did not heed.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading They took their places behind the Governor, and went down to the law-plain in his train.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
caravannounUS /ˈkærəvæn/
a procession (of wagons or mules or camels) traveling together in single file
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading There were some shouts at the pioneers, and certain dubious compliments, but Oscar did not hear and Helga did not heed.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
complimentsnounUS /ˈkɑːmpləments/
(usually plural) a polite expression of desire for someone's welfare
From this reading There were some shouts at the pioneers, and certain dubious compliments, but Oscar did not hear and Helga did not heed.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading There were some shouts at the pioneers, and certain dubious compliments, but Oscar did not hear and Helga did not heed.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading They took their places behind the Governor, and went down to the law-plain in his train.
dubiousadjectiveUS /ˈduːbiəs/
fraught with uncertainty or doubt
From this reading There were some shouts at the pioneers, and certain dubious compliments, but Oscar did not hear and Helga did not heed.
remove the dust from
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
good-naturedadjective
having an easygoing and cheerful disposition
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
the head of a state government
From this reading They took their places behind the Governor, and went down to the law-plain in his train.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading There were some shouts at the pioneers, and certain dubious compliments, but Oscar did not hear and Helga did not heed.
heednounUS /hiːd/
paying particular notice (as to children or helpless people)
From this reading There were some shouts at the pioneers, and certain dubious compliments, but Oscar did not hear and Helga did not heed.
Helga
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading They took their places behind the Governor, and went down to the law-plain in his train.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
ten 10s
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
law-plain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They took their places behind the Governor, and went down to the law-plain in his train.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
noisyadjectiveUS /ˈnɔɪzi/
full of or characterized by loud and nonmusical sounds
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
Northlands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading There were some shouts at the pioneers, and certain dubious compliments, but Oscar did not hear and Helga did not heed.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
OscarnounUS /ˈɔːskər/
an annual award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for achievements in motion picture production and performance
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
overtakeverbUS /ˈoʊvərteɪk/
catch up with and possibly overtake
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
pioneersnounUS /ˌpaɪəˈnɪrz/
plural of “pioneer” — someone who helps to open up a new line of research or technology or art
From this reading There were some shouts at the pioneers, and certain dubious compliments, but Oscar did not hear and Helga did not heed.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading They took their places behind the Governor, and went down to the law-plain in his train.
ProclamationnounUS /ˌprɑːkləˈmeɪʃən/
a formal public statement
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
ravenousadjectiveUS /ˈrævənəs/
extremely hungry
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
SagasnounUS /ˈsɑːɡəz/
plural of “saga” — a narrative telling the adventures of a hero or a family; originally (12th to 14th centuries) a story of the families that settled Iceland and their descendants but now any prose narrative that resembles such an account
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
shoutsnounUS /ʃaʊts/
plural of “shout” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
From this reading There were some shouts at the pioneers, and certain dubious compliments, but Oscar did not hear and Helga did not heed.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading There were some shouts at the pioneers, and certain dubious compliments, but Oscar did not hear and Helga did not heed.
plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were some shouts at the pioneers, and certain dubious compliments, but Oscar did not hear and Helga did not heed.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
Thing-place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
Thingvellir
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading They took their places behind the Governor, and went down to the law-plain in his train.
townspeoplenounUS /ˈtaʊnzpiːpəl/
the people living in a municipality smaller than a city
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
create by training and teaching
From this reading They took their places behind the Governor, and went down to the law-plain in his train.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Half an hour later the caravan came up in a cloud of dust, all noisy, but good-natured and ravenous for breakfast.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was Thingvellir, the place of the Proclamation, the Thing-place of the Northlands, the scene of a hundred Sagas, the subject of a thousand songs.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading They took their places behind the Governor, and went down to the law-plain in his train.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Oscar and Helga were now near the end of their journey and they watched for the townspeople to overtake them.
