used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
how long something has existed
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
the act of delivering or distributing something (as goods or mail)
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
delvingverbUS /ˈdelvɪŋ/
-ing form of “delve” — turn up, loosen, or remove earth
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading What else was there to discover?
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading They had done so much themselves that there seemed little more for him to do.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading They had done so much themselves that there seemed little more for him to do.
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 When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
EgyptiannounUS /ɪˈdʒɪpʃən/
a native or inhabitant of Egypt
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What else was there to discover?
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
FlindersnounUS /ˈflɪndərz/
British explorer who mapped the Australian coast (1774-1814)
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They had done so much themselves that there seemed little more for him to do.
set up or found
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They had done so much themselves that there seemed little more for him to do.
the aggregate of past events
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
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 The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading They had done so much themselves that there seemed little more for him to do.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
the force of workers available
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading They had done so much themselves that there seemed little more for him to do.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading They had done so much themselves that there seemed little more for him to do.
nationsnounUS /ˈneɪʃənz/
plural of “nation” — a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
new-comer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
and nothing more
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
papyri
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
Petrie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
revolutionnounUS /ˌrevəˈluːʃən/
a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading They had done so much themselves that there seemed little more for him to do.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
statuesnounUS /ˈstætʃuːz/
plural of “statue” — a sculpture representing a human or animal
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They had done so much themselves that there seemed little more for him to do.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading They had done so much themselves that there seemed little more for him to do.
in or at that place or location
From this reading They had done so much themselves that there seemed little more for him to do.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had done so much themselves that there seemed little more for him to do.
tombsnounUS /tuːmz/
plural of “tomb” — a place for the burial of a corpse (especially beneath the ground and marked by a tombstone)
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
twenty-sevennoun
the cardinal number that is the sum of twenty-six and one
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading They had found tombs and statues and papyri that took them back some five thousand years to what they thought was the beginning of Egyptian history.
at the time that
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
which person or people
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The older men of other nations who had spent their lives delving in the past smiled at the idea of the new-comer bringing about a revolution in the work they knew so well.
a late time of life
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading When Professor Flinders Petrie first set foot in Egypt he was a young man, only twenty-seven years of age.
