used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Throughout Egypt were mighty ruins, but little was known about them.
plural of “age” — how long something has existed
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
in the past
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
ancientsnounUS /ˈeɪntʃənts/
people who lived in times long past (especially during the historical period before the fall of the Roman Empire in western Europe)
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
assesnounUS /ˈæsəz/
plural of “ass” — the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
astrideadverbUS /əˈstraɪd/
with one leg on each side
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading They saw merely heaps of stones, buildings grown so old that they had toppled to pieces.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Throughout Egypt were mighty ruins, but little was known about them.
a period of 100 years
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
not accessible to view
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
EgyptnounUS /ˈiːdʒəpt/
a republic in northeastern Africa known as the United Arab Republic until 1971; site of an ancient civilization that flourished from 2600 to 30 BC
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
opinion or judgment
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
four-square
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
a long fixed look
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading They saw merely heaps of stones, buildings grown so old that they had toppled to pieces.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
heapsnounUS /hiːps/
a large number or amount
From this reading They saw merely heaps of stones, buildings grown so old that they had toppled to pieces.
inscrutableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈskruːtəbəl/
of an obscure nature
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
jogverbUS /dʒɑːɡ/
continue talking or writing in a desultory manner
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading Throughout Egypt were mighty ruins, but little was known about them.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
and nothing more
From this reading They saw merely heaps of stones, buildings grown so old that they had toppled to pieces.
having or showing great strength or force or intensity
From this reading Throughout Egypt were mighty ruins, but little was known about them.
NilenounUS /naɪl/
the world's longest river (4150 miles); flows northward through eastern Africa into the Mediterranean; the Nile River valley in Egypt was the site of the world's first great civilization
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading They saw merely heaps of stones, buildings grown so old that they had toppled to pieces.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole
From this reading They saw merely heaps of stones, buildings grown so old that they had toppled to pieces.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
filled with bewilderment
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
PyramidsnounUS /ˈpɪrəmɪdz/
plural of “pyramid” — a polyhedron having a polygonal base and triangular sides with a common vertex
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
past form of “regard” — deem to be
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
relicsnounUS /ˈrelɪks/
plural of “relic” — an antiquity that has survived from the distant past
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
ruinsnounUS /ˈruːənz/
plural of “ruin” — an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
From this reading Throughout Egypt were mighty ruins, but little was known about them.
Identical; not different.
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
sandstormsnounUS /ˈsændstɔːrmz/
plural of “sandstorm” — a windstorm that lifts up clouds of dust or sand
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
cut with a saw
From this reading They saw merely heaps of stones, buildings grown so old that they had toppled to pieces.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
be seated
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They saw merely heaps of stones, buildings grown so old that they had toppled to pieces.
SphinxnounUS /sfɪŋks/
an inscrutable person who keeps his thoughts and intentions secret
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
not in physical motion
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading They saw merely heaps of stones, buildings grown so old that they had toppled to pieces.
stonyadjectiveUS /ˈstoʊni/
abounding in rocks or stones
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Throughout Egypt were mighty ruins, but little was known about them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period
From this reading Throughout Egypt were mighty ruins, but little was known about them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
toppledverbUS /ˈtɑːpəld/
past form of “topple” — fall down, as if collapsing
From this reading They saw merely heaps of stones, buildings grown so old that they had toppled to pieces.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading People used to sit astride their asses and jog along into the stony places to see the relics.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A little over a century ago the past of Egypt was concealed from living eyes.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Throughout Egypt were mighty ruins, but little was known about them.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Pyramids still stood four-square to the sandstorms of the desert as they had stood for ages, the Sphinx regarded the Nile with the same inscrutable gaze that had puzzled the ancients.
