used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading I am in hopes, now, that we are beyond the Ashantis.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
Ashantis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I am in hopes, now, that we are beyond the Ashantis.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading I am in hopes, now, that we are beyond the Ashantis.
the two together, not just one
From this reading In two hours they had gone a mile, and both were thoroughly exhausted.
breaksnounUS /breɪks/
plural of “break” — some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
crawledverbUS /krɔːld/
past form of “crawl” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
the first light of day
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
denseadjectiveUS /dens/
permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
From this reading In two hours they had gone a mile, and both were thoroughly exhausted.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
destroyed or killed
From this reading In two hours they had gone a mile, and both were thoroughly exhausted.
growthnounUS /ɡroʊθ/
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
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 Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading I am in hopes, now, that we are beyond the Ashantis.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading In two hours they had gone a mile, and both were thoroughly exhausted.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I am in hopes, now, that we are beyond the Ashantis.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
conformity or harmony
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
LislenounUS /ˈlaɪəl/
a fabric woven with lisle thread
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading In two hours they had gone a mile, and both were thoroughly exhausted.
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I am in hopes, now, that we are beyond the Ashantis.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
overhangingverbUS /ˈoʊvərhæŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “overhang” — project over
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
past form of “produce” — bring forth or yield
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
the display of a motion picture
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
in the near future
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
swimverbUS /swɪm/
travel through water
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
thickestadjectiveUS /ˈθɪkɪst/
superlative of “thick” — not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
in an exhaustive manner
From this reading In two hours they had gone a mile, and both were thoroughly exhausted.
up to a particular time
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading In two hours they had gone a mile, and both were thoroughly exhausted.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Keeping in the mud close to the bank, and feeling their way in the dense growth produced by the overhanging bushes, they crawled forward.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
in or at the place that
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Sometimes the water came up to the bank, and they had to swim; but as a rule they were able to keep on the mud, which was so deep that they sank far into it, their heads alone showing above it.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "We will lie here till day breaks," Lisle said; "as soon as it is dawn, we will choose some spot where the bushes are thickest, and shelter there.
