used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
affordedverbUS /əˈfɔːrdəd/
past form of “afford” — be able to spare or give up
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After a while, with a mournful unanimity they stopped work and consulted in whispers what was to be done.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
anglesnounUS /ˈæŋɡəlz/
plural of “angle” — the space between two lines or planes that intersect; the inclination of one line to another; measured in degrees or radians
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
balanceverbUS /ˈbæləns/
bring into balance or equilibrium
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading After a while, with a mournful unanimity they stopped work and consulted in whispers what was to be done.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
rid of obstructions
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
consternationnounUS /ˌkɑːnstərˈneɪʃən/
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
consultedverbUS /kənˈsʌltəd/
past form of “consult” — get or ask advice from
From this reading After a while, with a mournful unanimity they stopped work and consulted in whispers what was to be done.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
dangerouslyadverbUS /ˈdeɪn.dʒər.əs.li/
In a way that involves danger or risk.
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
degreesnounUS /dɪˈɡriːz/
plural of “degree” — a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
diminishverbUS /dɪˈmɪnɪʃ/
decrease in size, extent, or range
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
discouragementnounUS /dɪˈskɜːrɪdʒmənt/
the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading After a while, with a mournful unanimity they stopped work and consulted in whispers what was to be done.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
DuncannounUS /ˈdʌŋkən/
United States dancer and pioneer of modern dance (1878-1927)
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
eagernessnounUS /ˈiːɡərnəs/
a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
divisible by two
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
start firing a weapon
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
foundationnounUS /faʊnˈdeɪʃən/
the basis on which something is grounded
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
past form of “gain” — obtain
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
the act of giving
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
guidancenounUS /ˈɡaɪdəns/
something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
Hamish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
heapsnounUS /hiːps/
a large number or amount
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
increasenounUS /ˌɪnˈkriːs/
a quantity that is added
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
inefficientadjectiveUS /ˌɪnɪˈfɪʃənt/
not producing desired results; wasteful
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
labouredadjective
lacking natural ease
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
lampsnounUS /læmps/
plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
Macalister
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
masonrynounUS /ˈmeɪsənri/
structure built of stone or brick by a mason
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
massesnounUS /ˈmæsəz/
the common people generally
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
the force of workers available
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
being nothing more than specified
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
mournfuladjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrnfəl/
expressing sorrow
From this reading After a while, with a mournful unanimity they stopped work and consulted in whispers what was to be done.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
not any; not one
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
past form of “obtain” — come into possession of
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
and nothing more
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
penetratedverbUS /ˈpenətreɪtɪd/
past form of “penetrate” — pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
picksnounUS /pɪks/
plural of “pick” — the person or thing chosen or selected
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
proceedingsnounUS /proʊˈsiːdɪŋz/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
on the contrary
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
Rembrandt-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
riskingverbUS /ˈrɪskɪŋ/
-ing form of “risk” — expose to a chance of loss or damage
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
similar things placed in order or happening one after another
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
spadesnounUS /speɪdz/
plural of “spade” — a playing card in the major suit that has one or more black figures on it
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading After a while, with a mournful unanimity they stopped work and consulted in whispers what was to be done.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
in or at that place or location
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
toppleverbUS /ˈtɑːpəl/
fall down, as if collapsing
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
unanimitynounUS /ˌjuːnəˈnɪməti/
everyone being of one mind
From this reading After a while, with a mournful unanimity they stopped work and consulted in whispers what was to be done.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
precisely as stated
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
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 The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
a message informing of danger
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The masses of masonry which they laboured to clear away seemed to increase rather than diminish under their picks and spades--new angles of the wall giving way when they seemed to have come nearly to the foundation.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading After a while, with a mournful unanimity they stopped work and consulted in whispers what was to be done.
at the time that
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading After a while, with a mournful unanimity they stopped work and consulted in whispers what was to be done.
whispersnounUS /ˈwɪspərz/
plural of “whisper” — speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading After a while, with a mournful unanimity they stopped work and consulted in whispers what was to be done.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading Such lamps as they could get from Macalister were fastened up among the heaps of ruin, and made a series of wild Rembrandt-like pictures in the gloom, but afforded little guidance to their work.
in the company of; together with
From this reading After a while, with a mournful unanimity they stopped work and consulted in whispers what was to be done.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
workersnounUS /ˈwɜːrkərz/
plural of “worker” — a person who works at a specific occupation
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading And now and then from above a mass of stones penetrated through and through by the fire, and kept in their place only by mere balance, would topple down without warning, dangerously near their heads, risking the very lives of the workers; upon whom discouragement gained as the night wore on, and no result was obtained.
yachtnounUS /jɑːt/
an expensive vessel propelled by sail or power and used for cruising or racing
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
youthsnounUS /juːðz/
plural of “youth” — a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading When the curious and the inefficient dropped away, as they did by degrees as night fell, there were left the three youths from the yacht, Hamish, Duncan, and two or three men from the village, enough to do a greater work than that which lay before them; but the darkness and the consternation, and even their very eagerness and anxiety, confused their proceedings.
