used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For an instant a hush spread over the people.
Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
eagerly desirous
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
atrocitynounUS /əˈtrɑːsəti/
the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
bathedverbUS /beɪðd/
past form of “bathe” — cleanse the entire body
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
beadsnounUS /biːdz/
several beads threaded together on a string
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
the act of burning something
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading "In the name of God," I cried, "I command you to cease this torture."
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading "In the name of God," I cried, "I command you to cease this torture."
compactnounUS /ˈkɑːmpækt/
a small cosmetics case with a mirror; to be carried in a woman's purse
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "In the name of God," I cried, "I command you to cease this torture."
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
having gaps or spaces
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
frequentverbUS /ˈfriːkwənt/
do one's shopping at; do business with; be a customer or client of
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading "In the name of God," I cried, "I command you to cease this torture."
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
the quality of being humane
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
become quiet or still; fall silent
From this reading For an instant a hush spread over the people.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading For an instant a hush spread over the people.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "In the name of God," I cried, "I command you to cease this torture."
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
not any; not one
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading For an instant a hush spread over the people.
participateverbUS /pɑːrˈtɪsəpeɪt/
share in something
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
savagesnounUS /ˈsævədʒəz/
plural of “savage” — a member of an uncivilized people
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
scaffoldnounUS /ˈskæfəld/
a platform from which criminals are executed (hanged or beheaded)
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
sickeningadjectiveUS /ˈsɪkənɪŋ/
causing or able to cause nausea
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
Smith'snounUS /smɪθs/
possessive form of “smith” — Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading For an instant a hush spread over the people.
be standing; be upright
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
superhumanadjectiveUS /ˌsuːpərˈhjuːmən/
above or beyond the human or demanding more than human power or endurance
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "In the name of God," I cried, "I command you to cease this torture."
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
tortureverbUS /ˈtɔːrtʃər/
torment emotionally or mentally
From this reading "In the name of God," I cried, "I command you to cease this torture."
torturesnounUS /ˈtɔːrtʃərz/
plural of “torture” — extreme mental distress
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading For half an hour I tried to pray as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
in the company of; together with
From this reading I could stand no more, and with a superhuman effort dashed through the compact mass of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold.
yellsnounUS /jelz/
plural of “yell” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
From this reading The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith's yells became more and more frequent, it was difficult to hold the crowd back, so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "In the name of God," I cried, "I command you to cease this torture."
