used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Even now, when the Nile was only a thin green band upon the farthest horizon, the pursuit had probably not begun.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading Even now, when the Nile was only a thin green band upon the farthest horizon, the pursuit had probably not begun.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Even now, when the Nile was only a thin green band upon the farthest horizon, the pursuit had probably not begun.
calculationsnounUS /ˌkælkjəˈleɪʃənz/
plural of “calculation” — the procedure of calculating; determining something by mathematical or logical methods
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading How small, then, was the chance that the Egyptian forces could overtake them.
chancesnounUS /ˈtʃænsəz/
plural of “chance” — a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading How small, then, was the chance that the Egyptian forces could overtake them.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading In a hundred miles, or even less, they would be in the Dervish country.
DervishnounUS /ˈdɜːrvɪʃ/
an ascetic Muslim monk; a member of an order noted for devotional exercises involving bodily movements
From this reading In a hundred miles, or even less, they would be in the Dervish country.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
distancesnounUS /ˈdɪstənsəz/
plural of “distance” — the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
EgyptiannounUS /ɪˈdʒɪpʃən/
a native or inhabitant of Egypt
From this reading How small, then, was the chance that the Egyptian forces could overtake them.
elaborateadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæbrət/
marked by complexity and richness of detail
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
divisible by two
From this reading Even now, when the Nile was only a thin green band upon the farthest horizon, the pursuit had probably not begun.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
farthestadverbUS /ˈfɑːrðəst/
to the greatest distance in space or time (“farthest” is used more often than “furthest” in this physical sense)
From this reading Even now, when the Nile was only a thin green band upon the farthest horizon, the pursuit had probably not begun.
plural of “force” — a powerful effect or influence
From this reading How small, then, was the chance that the Egyptian forces could overtake them.
set up or found
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Even now, when the Nile was only a thin green band upon the farthest horizon, the pursuit had probably not begun.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
Halfa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How small, then, was the chance that the Egyptian forces could overtake them.
ten 10s
From this reading In a hundred miles, or even less, they would be in the Dervish country.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
Korosko
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading In a hundred miles, or even less, they would be in the Dervish country.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading In a hundred miles, or even less, they would be in the Dervish country.
miragenounUS /mərˈɑːʒ/
an optical illusion in which atmospheric refraction by a layer of hot air distorts or inverts reflections of distant objects
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
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 Even now, when the Nile was only a thin green band upon the farthest horizon, the pursuit had probably not begun.
not any; not one
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Even now, when the Nile was only a thin green band upon the farthest horizon, the pursuit had probably not begun.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
and nothing more
From this reading Even now, when the Nile was only a thin green band upon the farthest horizon, the pursuit had probably not begun.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading In a hundred miles, or even less, they would be in the Dervish country.
overtakeverbUS /ˈoʊvərteɪk/
catch up with and possibly overtake
From this reading How small, then, was the chance that the Egyptian forces could overtake them.
with considerable certainty; without much doubt
From this reading Even now, when the Nile was only a thin green band upon the farthest horizon, the pursuit had probably not begun.
the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture
From this reading Even now, when the Nile was only a thin green band upon the farthest horizon, the pursuit had probably not begun.
reckonedverbUS /ˈrekənd/
past form of “reckon” — expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
rescueverbUS /ˈreskjuː/
free from harm or evil
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
shimmeredverbUS /ˈʃɪmərd/
past form of “shimmer” — shine with a weak or fitful light
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading How small, then, was the chance that the Egyptian forces could overtake them.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
steamernounUS /ˈstiːmər/
a clam that is usually steamed in the shell
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading How small, then, was the chance that the Egyptian forces could overtake them.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading How small, then, was the chance that the Egyptian forces could overtake them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading Even now, when the Nile was only a thin green band upon the farthest horizon, the pursuit had probably not begun.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
unsubstantialadjective
lacking material form or substance; unreal
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
at the time that
From this reading Even now, when the Nile was only a thin green band upon the farthest horizon, the pursuit had probably not begun.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading So the _Korosko_ had been taken, and the chances of rescue upon which they had reckoned--all those elaborate calculations of hours and distances--were as unsubstantial as the mirage which shimmered upon the horizon.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading There would be no alarm at Halfa until it was found that the steamer did not return in the evening.
