used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading LOST IN A BLIZZARD.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Of course it would be of no use to continue his hopeless struggle.
BLIZZARDnounUS /ˈblɪzərd/
a storm with widespread snowfall accompanied by strong winds
From this reading LOST IN A BLIZZARD.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
continue a certain state, condition, or activity
From this reading Of course it would be of no use to continue his hopeless struggle.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading Of course it would be of no use to continue his hopeless struggle.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
the act of discovering something
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
encampedverbUS /ɪnˈkæmpt/
past form of “encamp” — live in or as if in a tent
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
an old word for “before”
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
divisible by two
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
hopelessadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊpləs/
without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success
From this reading Of course it would be of no use to continue his hopeless struggle.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading LOST IN A BLIZZARD.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Of course it would be of no use to continue his hopeless struggle.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
a boy or man
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
locationnounUS /loʊˈkeɪʃən/
a point or extent in space
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading LOST IN A BLIZZARD.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
not in physical motion
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
not any; not one
From this reading Of course it would be of no use to continue his hopeless struggle.
numbedverbUS /nʌmd/
past form of “numb” — make numb or insensitive
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
and nothing more
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
regainverbUS /rɪˈɡeɪn/
get or find back; recover the use of
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading Of course it would be of no use to continue his hopeless struggle.
survivingadjectiveUS /sərˈvaɪvɪŋ/
still in existence
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
in or at that place or location
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
timbernounUS /ˈtɪmbər/
the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading If he could only regain the timber there might be a slight chance of surviving the night; but even its location was lost to him, and a certain death stared him in the face.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Of course it would be of no use to continue his hopeless struggle.
the act of using
From this reading Of course it would be of no use to continue his hopeless struggle.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading So numbed was our poor lad by the shock of his discovery that, for a few moments, he stood motionless.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
in or at the place that
From this reading Even if he had come in the right direction he must ere this have passed the place where his companions were encamped.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Of course it would be of no use to continue his hopeless struggle.
