used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
(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 Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
city-dweller
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A desert mail-carrier is a weird object to Western eyes or to the eyes of a city-dweller.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading What was Margaret doing that night?
apart from; not including
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
regard something as probable or likely
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
opinion or judgment
From this reading A desert mail-carrier is a weird object to Western eyes or to the eyes of a city-dweller.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A desert mail-carrier is a weird object to Western eyes or to the eyes of a city-dweller.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
mail-carrier
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
Margaret
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What was Margaret doing that night?
(Old Testament) the guardian archangel of the Jews
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading What was Margaret doing that night?
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She did not expect to hear from him after his desert journey had begun, except by happy chance.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading A desert mail-carrier is a weird object to Western eyes or to the eyes of a city-dweller.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A desert mail-carrier is a weird object to Western eyes or to the eyes of a city-dweller.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A desert mail-carrier is a weird object to Western eyes or to the eyes of a city-dweller.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
postedadjectiveUS /ˈpoʊstɪd/
publicly displayed
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading What was Margaret doing that night?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Many days had passed since she had heard from Michael, but there was nothing in that to cause her anxiety.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What was Margaret doing that night?
weirdadjectiveUS /wɪrd/
suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
From this reading A desert mail-carrier is a weird object to Western eyes or to the eyes of a city-dweller.
relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
From this reading A desert mail-carrier is a weird object to Western eyes or to the eyes of a city-dweller.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What was Margaret doing that night?
at the time that
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If he passed a desert mail-carrier, he would give him a letter to be posted when he arrived at the nearest town.
