used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
anew
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Midnight struck, and the cold of the mountain night had reached its maximum chill.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
formed or made thin by hammering
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
beatsnounUS /biːts/
a United States youth subculture of the 1950s; rejected possessions or regular work or traditional dress; for communal living and psychedelic drugs and anarchism; favored modern forms of jazz (e.g., bebop)
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading Midnight struck, and the cold of the mountain night had reached its maximum chill.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading Midnight struck, and the cold of the mountain night had reached its maximum chill.
complaintnounUS /kəmˈpleɪnt/
an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
continuousadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəs/
continuing in time or space without interruption
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
decreasingadjectiveUS /dɪˈkriːsɪŋ/
becoming less or smaller
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
an opposing military force
From this reading THE ENEMY The night wore on slowly.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
any creature of exceptional size
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
guardsnounUS /ɡɑːrdz/
plural of “guard” — a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Midnight struck, and the cold of the mountain night had reached its maximum chill.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
increasingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/
becoming greater or larger
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Midnight struck, and the cold of the mountain night had reached its maximum chill.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
maximumnounUS /ˈmæksəməm/
the largest possible quantity
From this reading Midnight struck, and the cold of the mountain night had reached its maximum chill.
the force of workers available
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading Midnight struck, and the cold of the mountain night had reached its maximum chill.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Midnight struck, and the cold of the mountain night had reached its maximum chill.
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading THE ENEMY The night wore on slowly.
not any; not one
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
a brief written record
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Midnight struck, and the cold of the mountain night had reached its maximum chill.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE ENEMY The night wore on slowly.
patrolsnounUS /pəˈtroʊlz/
plural of “patrol” — a detachment used for security or reconnaissance
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
protestingverbUS /prəˈtestɪŋ/
-ing form of “protest” — utter words of protest
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Midnight struck, and the cold of the mountain night had reached its maximum chill.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
except for; apart from
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
shacklesnounUS /ˈʃækəlz/
plural of “shackle” — a restraint that confines or restricts freedom (especially something used to tie down or restrain a prisoner)
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading THE ENEMY The night wore on slowly.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading Midnight struck, and the cold of the mountain night had reached its maximum chill.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ENEMY The night wore on slowly.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
in or at that place or location
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
vagariesnounUS /ˈveɪɡəriz/
plural of “vagary” — an unexpected and inexplicable change in something (in a situation or a person's behavior, etc.)
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading At times the sound of the river rose to great volume, again it died down to a low murmur, the voice of a beaten giant protesting against his shackles.
the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
wearinessnounUS /ˈwɪrinəs/
temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading To the ears of the weary patrols there came no sound save the continuous complaint of the waters, a note rising and falling, increasing and decreasing in volume, after the strange fashion of waters carried by the chance vagaries of the air.
which person or people
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Came two o'clock in the morning, and the guards walked their beats with the weariness of men who have fought off sleep for hours.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading THE ENEMY The night wore on slowly.
