used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
animateverbUS /ˈænəmət/
heighten or intensify
From this reading Everything, animate and inanimate, rose out of a common ultimate--the Sea.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading The boat swung out into mid-stream.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
bougainvillaeanoun
ornamental tropical woody vines
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
clovernounUS /ˈkloʊvər/
a plant of the genus Trifolium
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading Everything, animate and inanimate, rose out of a common ultimate--the Sea.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
flingverbUS /flɪŋ/
throw with force or recklessness
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
Haughstone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
inanimateadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnænəmət/
belonging to the class of nouns denoting nonliving things
From this reading Everything, animate and inanimate, rose out of a common ultimate--the Sea.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The boat swung out into mid-stream.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
mergedadjectiveUS /mɜːrdʒd/
formed or united into a whole
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
mid-stream
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boat swung out into mid-stream.
Mohammed's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
moon-fed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The boat swung out into mid-stream.
palmsnounUS /pɑːmz/
plural of “palm” — the inner surface of the hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Everything, animate and inanimate, rose out of a common ultimate--the Sea.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Everything, animate and inanimate, rose out of a common ultimate--the Sea.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
shadowyadjectiveUS /ˈʃædoʊi/
filled with shade
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
spectraladjectiveUS /ˈspektrəl/
of or relating to a spectrum
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading The boat swung out into mid-stream.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The boat swung out into mid-stream.
Thebannoun
an Egyptian inhabitant of ancient Thebes
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
in the direction of
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
ultimateadjectiveUS /ˈʌltəmət/
furthest or highest in degree or order; utmost or extreme
From this reading Everything, animate and inanimate, rose out of a common ultimate--the Sea.
upwardsadverbUS /ˈʌpwərdz/
spatially or metaphorically from a lower to a higher position
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
