used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
at or in the front
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
alertnessnounUS /əˈlɜːrtnəs/
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading There was their eventual goal; but meanwhile their immediate surroundings roused their greater interest--and all their alertness!
(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 Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
aloofadjectiveUS /əˈluːf/
remote in manner
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading _The Raid_ Bewilderedly, they looked around them.
barelyadverbUS /ˈberli/
only a very short time before
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
Bewilderedlyadverb
in a bewildered manner
From this reading _The Raid_ Bewilderedly, they looked around them.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
Dennis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
dwarfingverbUS /ˈdwɔːrfɪŋ/
-ing form of “dwarf” — make appear small by comparison
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
eventualadjectiveUS /əˈventʃuːəl/
expected to follow in the indefinite future from causes already operating
From this reading There was their eventual goal; but meanwhile their immediate surroundings roused their greater interest--and all their alertness!
exoticadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzɑːtɪk/
being or from or characteristic of another place or part of the world
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
any creature of exceptional size
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
goalnounUS /ɡoʊl/
the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it
From this reading There was their eventual goal; but meanwhile their immediate surroundings roused their greater interest--and all their alertness!
shoot down, of birds
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading There was their eventual goal; but meanwhile their immediate surroundings roused their greater interest--and all their alertness!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
of the present time and place
From this reading There was their eventual goal; but meanwhile their immediate surroundings roused their greater interest--and all their alertness!
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading There was their eventual goal; but meanwhile their immediate surroundings roused their greater interest--and all their alertness!
interveningadjectiveUS /ˌɪntərˈviːnɪŋ/
occurring or falling between events or points in time
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
junglenounUS /ˈdʒʌŋɡəl/
a location marked by an intense competition and struggle for survival
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading _The Raid_ Bewilderedly, they looked around them.
MajesticadjectiveUS /məˈdʒestɪk/
majestic in manner or bearing; superior to mundane matters
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
at the same time but in another place
From this reading There was their eventual goal; but meanwhile their immediate surroundings roused their greater interest--and all their alertness!
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
by chance
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
plotnounUS /plɑːt/
a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
RaidverbUS /reɪd/
search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on
From this reading _The Raid_ Bewilderedly, they looked around them.
past form of “rouse” — become active
From this reading There was their eventual goal; but meanwhile their immediate surroundings roused their greater interest--and all their alertness!
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
smoothly-rounded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
soaredverbUS /sɔːrd/
past form of “soar” — rise rapidly
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
surroundingsnounUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋz/
the environmental condition
From this reading There was their eventual goal; but meanwhile their immediate surroundings roused their greater interest--and all their alertness!
termitary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The Raid_ Bewilderedly, they looked around them.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading There was their eventual goal; but meanwhile their immediate surroundings roused their greater interest--and all their alertness!
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading _The Raid_ Bewilderedly, they looked around them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was their eventual goal; but meanwhile their immediate surroundings roused their greater interest--and all their alertness!
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _The Raid_ Bewilderedly, they looked around them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
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 Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
trunksnounUS /trʌŋks/
(used in the plural) trousers that end at or above the knee
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
waist-highadverb
up to the waist
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Ahead of them, barely to be seen for the trunks of giant trees intervening, was a smoothly-rounded mountain.
at the time that
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading When Dennis had said they would find a common grass plot a wild and exotic jungle, he had spoken perhaps more truly than he knew.
the day immediately before today
From this reading Majestic and aloof it soared, dwarfing all near it--the termitary which, yesterday, had been but waist-high.
