used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A FACT OF LIFE THE warning was a terribly familiar one to the people of Lombardy.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The pellets of ice were so big as to fell cattle and kill the herdsmen.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The pellets of ice were so big as to fell cattle and kill the herdsmen.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The pellets of ice were so big as to fell cattle and kill the herdsmen.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age
From this reading The pellets of ice were so big as to fell cattle and kill the herdsmen.
cotta
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Roof tiles of terra cotta were smashed like thin glass.
cropsnounUS /krɑːps/
plural of “crop” — the yield from plants in a single growing season
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
devastatedverbUS /ˈdevəsteɪtɪd/
past form of “devastate” — cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
divisible by two
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading A FACT OF LIFE THE warning was a terribly familiar one to the people of Lombardy.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading A FACT OF LIFE THE warning was a terribly familiar one to the people of Lombardy.
a person who operates a farm
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading The pellets of ice were so big as to fell cattle and kill the herdsmen.
people in general (often used in the plural)
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading Roof tiles of terra cotta were smashed like thin glass.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
hailverbUS /heɪl/
praise vociferously
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
herdsmennounUS /ˈhɜːrdzmɪn/
plural of “herdsman” — someone who drives a herd
From this reading The pellets of ice were so big as to fell cattle and kill the herdsmen.
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading The pellets of ice were so big as to fell cattle and kill the herdsmen.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading The pellets of ice were so big as to fell cattle and kill the herdsmen.
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 They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading A FACT OF LIFE THE warning was a terribly familiar one to the people of Lombardy.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Roof tiles of terra cotta were smashed like thin glass.
Lombardynoun
a region of north central Italy bordering Switzerland
From this reading A FACT OF LIFE THE warning was a terribly familiar one to the people of Lombardy.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A FACT OF LIFE THE warning was a terribly familiar one to the people of Lombardy.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A FACT OF LIFE THE warning was a terribly familiar one to the people of Lombardy.
onslaughts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
pelletsnounUS /ˈpeləts/
plural of “pellet” — a small sphere
From this reading The pellets of ice were so big as to fell cattle and kill the herdsmen.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading A FACT OF LIFE THE warning was a terribly familiar one to the people of Lombardy.
plagueverbUS /pleɪɡ/
cause to suffer a blight
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
presagedverbUS /ˈpresɪdʒd/
past form of “presage” — indicate, as with a sign or an omen
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
provincenounUS /ˈprɑːvəns/
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
regionnounUS /ˈriːdʒən/
the extended spatial location of something
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading Roof tiles of terra cotta were smashed like thin glass.
intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
smashedadjectiveUS /smæʃt/
very drunk
From this reading Roof tiles of terra cotta were smashed like thin glass.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The pellets of ice were so big as to fell cattle and kill the herdsmen.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
spreesnounUS /spriːz/
plural of “spree” — a brief indulgence of your impulses
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
stormsnounUS /stɔːrmz/
plural of “storm” — a violent weather condition with winds 64-72 knots (11 on the Beaufort scale) and precipitation and thunder and lightning
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
terra
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Roof tiles of terra cotta were smashed like thin glass.
terriblyadverbUS /ˈterəbli/
used as intensifiers
From this reading A FACT OF LIFE THE warning was a terribly familiar one to the people of Lombardy.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A FACT OF LIFE THE warning was a terribly familiar one to the people of Lombardy.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading Roof tiles of terra cotta were smashed like thin glass.
tilesnounUS /taɪlz/
plural of “tile” — a flat thin rectangular slab (as of fired clay or rubber or linoleum) used to cover surfaces
From this reading Roof tiles of terra cotta were smashed like thin glass.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A FACT OF LIFE THE warning was a terribly familiar one to the people of Lombardy.
visitationsnounUS /ˌvɪzɪˈteɪʃənz/
plural of “visitation” — an annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
a message informing of danger
From this reading A FACT OF LIFE THE warning was a terribly familiar one to the people of Lombardy.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A FACT OF LIFE THE warning was a terribly familiar one to the people of Lombardy.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The pellets of ice were so big as to fell cattle and kill the herdsmen.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They knew it presaged one of the severe storms of hail that plague the region--visitations which the farmer folk dread even more than the sprees of the river.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Within the space of ten minutes the growing crops of a whole province had been devastated by one of these onslaughts.
