used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
the state of being absent
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
adequateadjectiveUS /ˈædəkwət/
having the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
anew
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
beetlingadjective
jutting or overhanging
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
BelowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading Below a flattened, shapeless wedge of nose, his thick pendulous lips worked in and out in worried and laborious thought.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
browsnounUS /braʊz/
plural of “brow” — the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
buttonnounUS /ˈbʌtən/
a round fastener sewn to shirts and coats etc to fit through buttonholes
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
cavesnounUS /keɪvz/
plural of “cave” — a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
clearingnounUS /ˈklɪrɪŋ/
a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
a steep high face of rock
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
gotten under control
From this reading Urb sat crouched near the foot of a lofty escarpment that contained the tribal caves.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading Urb sat crouched near the foot of a lofty escarpment that contained the tribal caves.
deep-sunk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
driedadjectiveUS /draɪd/
not still wet
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
escarpmentnounUS /eˈskɑːrpmənt/
a long steep slope or cliff at the edge of a plateau or ridge; usually formed by erosion
From this reading Urb sat crouched near the foot of a lofty escarpment that contained the tribal caves.
opinion or judgment
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
a social unit living together
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
flattenedadjectiveUS /ˈflætənd/
having been flattened
From this reading Below a flattened, shapeless wedge of nose, his thick pendulous lips worked in and out in worried and laborious thought.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Urb sat crouched near the foot of a lofty escarpment that contained the tribal caves.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
set up or found
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
HairyadjectiveUS /ˈheri/
having or covered with hair
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
holedverbUS /hoʊld/
past form of “hole” — hit the ball into the hole
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
increasinglyadverbUS /ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli/
advancing in amount or intensity
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
indifferentlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdɪfrəntli/
with indifference; in an indifferent manner
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
junglenounUS /ˈdʒʌŋɡəl/
a location marked by an intense competition and struggle for survival
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
laboriousadjectiveUS /ləˈbɔːriəs/
characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort
From this reading Below a flattened, shapeless wedge of nose, his thick pendulous lips worked in and out in worried and laborious thought.
lionsnounUS /ˈlaɪənz/
plural of “lion” — large gregarious predatory feline of Africa and India having a tawny coat with a shaggy mane in the male
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading Below a flattened, shapeless wedge of nose, his thick pendulous lips worked in and out in worried and laborious thought.
locateverbUS /ˈloʊkeɪt/
discover the location of; determine the place of; find by searching or examining
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
loftyadjectiveUS /ˈlɔːfti/
of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style
From this reading Urb sat crouched near the foot of a lofty escarpment that contained the tribal caves.
the force of workers available
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
moonsnounUS /muːnz/
plural of “moon” — the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
NeanderthaladjectiveUS /niˈændərθɔːl/
ill-mannered and coarse and contemptible in behavior or appearance
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Urb sat crouched near the foot of a lofty escarpment that contained the tribal caves.
nearbyadjectiveUS /ˈnɪrˈbaɪ/
close at hand
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
neighborhoodnounUS /ˈneɪbərhʊd/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading Below a flattened, shapeless wedge of nose, his thick pendulous lips worked in and out in worried and laborious thought.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Below a flattened, shapeless wedge of nose, his thick pendulous lips worked in and out in worried and laborious thought.
pasturagenoun
succulent herbaceous vegetation of pasture land
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
pendulousadjectiveUS /ˈpendʒələs/
having branches or flower heads that bend downward
From this reading Below a flattened, shapeless wedge of nose, his thick pendulous lips worked in and out in worried and laborious thought.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
rainyadjectiveUS /ˈreɪni/
(of weather) wet by periods of rain
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Urb sat crouched near the foot of a lofty escarpment that contained the tribal caves.
a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
shapelessadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪpləs/
having no definite form or distinct shape
From this reading Below a flattened, shapeless wedge of nose, his thick pendulous lips worked in and out in worried and laborious thought.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Urb sat crouched near the foot of a lofty escarpment that contained the tribal caves.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
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 Below a flattened, shapeless wedge of nose, his thick pendulous lips worked in and out in worried and laborious thought.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Below a flattened, shapeless wedge of nose, his thick pendulous lips worked in and out in worried and laborious thought.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
tribaladjectiveUS /ˈtraɪbəl/
relating to or characteristic of a tribe
From this reading Urb sat crouched near the foot of a lofty escarpment that contained the tribal caves.
tribenounUS /traɪb/
a social division of (usually preliterate) people
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
Urb
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Hairy Men For several moons now, Urb, the Neanderthal, and his tribe had found it increasingly difficult to locate game in the neighborhood of the family caves.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
water-hole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The reason could be any one of several: a nearby water-hole dried up until the rainy season came again; a family of lions holed up close by; an absence of adequate pasturage.
wedgenounUS /wedʒ/
any shape that is triangular in cross section
From this reading Below a flattened, shapeless wedge of nose, his thick pendulous lips worked in and out in worried and laborious thought.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Below a flattened, shapeless wedge of nose, his thick pendulous lips worked in and out in worried and laborious thought.
worriedadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrid/
afflicted with or marked by anxious uneasiness or trouble or grief
From this reading Below a flattened, shapeless wedge of nose, his thick pendulous lips worked in and out in worried and laborious thought.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading His deep-sunk button eyes, beneath beetling brows, indifferently watched the young ones of the tribe playing about the clearing between jungle and cliff.
