adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The dry ground had been sprinkled with water and beaten with mallets so as to harden it as much as possible.
Auvergnenoun
a region in central France
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
badlyadverbUS /ˈbædli/
to a severe or serious degree
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
beatenadjectiveUS /ˈbiːtən/
formed or made thin by hammering
From this reading The dry ground had been sprinkled with water and beaten with mallets so as to harden it as much as possible.
Beatrix
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
bitnounUS /bɪt/
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
blanketsnounUS /ˈblæŋkəts/
plural of “blanket” — bedding that keeps a person warm in bed
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
blueadjectiveUS /bluː/
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
carpetsnounUS /ˈkɑːrpəts/
plural of “carpet” — floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
circlenounUS /ˈsɜːrkəl/
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
coarseadjectiveUS /kɔːrs/
of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
comeverbUS /kʌm/
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
coveredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌvərd/
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
designsnounUS /dɪˈzaɪnz/
plural of “design” — the act of working out the form of something (as by making a sketch or outline or plan)
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
diameternounUS /daɪˈæmətər/
the length of a straight line passing through the center of a circle and connecting two points on the circumference
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
dryadjectiveUS /draɪ/
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading The dry ground had been sprinkled with water and beaten with mallets so as to harden it as much as possible.
Dunstan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
facenounUS /feɪs/
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
fivenounUS /faɪv/
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
fournounUS /fɔːr/
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
GilbertnounUS /ˈɡɪlbərt/
a unit of magnetomotive force equal to 0.7958 ampere-turns
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The dry ground had been sprinkled with water and beaten with mallets so as to harden it as much as possible.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
halfadjectiveUS /hæf/
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
hand-woven
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
hardenverbUS /ˈhɑːrdən/
become hard or harder
From this reading The dry ground had been sprinkled with water and beaten with mallets so as to harden it as much as possible.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
hidesnounUS /haɪdz/
plural of “hide” — the dressed skin of an animal (especially a large animal)
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
highlyadverbUS /ˈhaɪli/
to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
hurtverbUS /hɜːrt/
be the source of pain
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
inquiriesnounUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪəriz/
plural of “inquiry” — a search for knowledge
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/
and nothing more
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
ladiesnounUS /ˈleɪdiz/
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
learnedadjectiveUS /lɜːrnd/
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
linesnounUS /laɪnz/
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
makingnounUS /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
mallets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dry ground had been sprinkled with water and beaten with mallets so as to harden it as much as possible.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
mennounUS /men/
the force of workers available
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
milenounUS /maɪl/
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading It was late in the afternoon, and Dunstan had just come back from making inquiries in the ladies' lines, half a mile away.
muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The dry ground had been sprinkled with water and beaten with mallets so as to harden it as much as possible.
NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
pacesnounUS /ˈpeɪsɪz/
plural of “pace” — the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
painnounUS /peɪn/
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
pillownounUS /ˈpɪloʊ/
a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
polenounUS /poʊl/
a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/
capable of happening or existing
From this reading The dry ground had been sprinkled with water and beaten with mallets so as to harden it as much as possible.
rednounUS /red/
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
roughadjectiveUS /rʌf/
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
roundnounUS /raʊnd/
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
saddle-bag
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
servedverbUS /sɜːrvd/
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
shepherdsnounUS /ˈʃepərdz/
plural of “shepherd” — a clergyman who watches over a group of people
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
simpleradjectiveUS /ˈsɪmpələr/
comparative of “simple” — having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
singleadjectiveUS /ˈsɪŋɡəl/
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
sleptverbUS /slept/
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
smoke-curedadjective
(used especially of meats and fish) dried and cured by hanging in wood smoke
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The dry ground had been sprinkled with water and beaten with mallets so as to harden it as much as possible.
spreadverbUS /spred/
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
sprinkledverbUS /ˈsprɪŋkəld/
past form of “sprinkle” — distribute loosely
From this reading The dry ground had been sprinkled with water and beaten with mallets so as to harden it as much as possible.
sufferingnounUS /ˈsʌfərɪŋ/
a state of acute pain
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
tentnounUS /tent/
a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
thickadjectiveUS /θɪk/
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 Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The dry ground had been sprinkled with water and beaten with mallets so as to harden it as much as possible.
turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/
moved around an axis or center
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
twonounUS /tuː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
valuedadjectiveUS /ˈvæljuːd/
(usually used in combination) having value of a specified kind
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/
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 The dry ground had been sprinkled with water and beaten with mallets so as to harden it as much as possible.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When Gilbert learned from his man that Beatrix was badly hurt and suffering great pain, he turned his face away and bit hard on the saddle-bag that served him for a pillow.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Nothing could have been simpler than his round tent, which had a single pole and covered a circle four or five paces in diameter.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The dry ground had been sprinkled with water and beaten with mallets so as to harden it as much as possible.
woollennounUS /ˈwʊlən/
a fabric made from the hair of sheep
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
workverbUS /wɜːrk/
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Gilbert and his two men slept on smoke-cured hides over which heavy woollen blankets were spread, almost as thick as carpets, hand-woven in rough designs of vivid blue and red, the coarse work of shepherds of Auvergne, but highly valued.
