used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “A cry for help,” Mr. Hampton heard Frank say.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
AlinounUS /ˈɑːli/
United States prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942)
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
in addition
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
amissadjectiveUS /əˈmɪs/
not functioning properly
From this reading In the background crowded the half dozen Arab guards, sensing something amiss.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
react verbally
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
separated or at a distance in place or position or time
From this reading The camels stood with feet spread apart, seemingly asleep.
ArabnounUS /ˈærəb/
a member of a Semitic people originally from the Arabian peninsula and surrounding territories who speaks Arabic and who inhabits much of the Middle East and northern Africa
From this reading In the background crowded the half dozen Arab guards, sensing something amiss.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
in a state of sleep
From this reading The camels stood with feet spread apart, seemingly asleep.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading In the background crowded the half dozen Arab guards, sensing something amiss.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
move up and down repeatedly
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
bombardingverbUS /bɑːmˈbɑːrdɪŋ/
-ing form of “bombard” — cast, hurl, or throw repeatedly with some missile
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
camelsnounUS /ˈkæməlz/
plural of “camel” — cud-chewing mammal used as a draft or saddle animal in desert regions
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
overfilled or compacted or concentrated
From this reading In the background crowded the half dozen Arab guards, sensing something amiss.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading “A cry for help,” Mr. Hampton heard Frank say.
dazzlingadjectiveUS /ˈdæzəlɪŋ/
amazingly impressive; suggestive of the flashing of lightning
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading In the background crowded the half dozen Arab guards, sensing something amiss.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The camels stood with feet spread apart, seemingly asleep.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “A cry for help,” Mr. Hampton heard Frank say.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
coins made of gold
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
guardsnounUS /ɡɑːrdz/
plural of “guard” — a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading In the background crowded the half dozen Arab guards, sensing something amiss.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading In the background crowded the half dozen Arab guards, sensing something amiss.
HamptonnounUS /ˈhæmptən/
United States musician who was the first to use the vibraphone as a jazz instrument (1913-2002)
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading “A cry for help,” Mr. Hampton heard Frank say.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading “A cry for help,” Mr. Hampton heard Frank say.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the background crowded the half dozen Arab guards, sensing something amiss.
inarticulateadjectiveUS /ˌɪnɑːrˈtɪkjələt/
without or deprived of the use of speech or words
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
a small worthless amount
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
and nothing more
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
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 long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
a form of address for a man
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
plural of “question” — an instance of questioning
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
raysnounUS /reɪz/
plural of “ray” — a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
express in words
From this reading “A cry for help,” Mr. Hampton heard Frank say.
seeminglyadverbUS /ˈsiːmɪŋli/
from appearances alone
From this reading The camels stood with feet spread apart, seemingly asleep.
sensingnounUS /ˈsensɪŋ/
the perception that something has occurred or some state exists
From this reading In the background crowded the half dozen Arab guards, sensing something amiss.
the context and environment in which something is set
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading In the background crowded the half dozen Arab guards, sensing something amiss.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading The camels stood with feet spread apart, seemingly asleep.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The camels stood with feet spread apart, seemingly asleep.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
having come into contact
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
at the time that
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
in or at the place that
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The long rays of the setting sun, which almost touched the horizon, were flung across the desert, turning it into dazzling gold, as Mr. Hampton and Ali pushed their camels close to where the three boys had come together.
which person or people
From this reading Jack and Bob, who also had drawn close, were bombarding Frank with questions and, almost inarticulate at first, he had just begun to answer when Mr. Hampton and Ali arrived.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The camels stood with feet spread apart, seemingly asleep.
