used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The narrow valley itself sloped upward on either hand to a sheer wall of cliffs.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
banananounUS /bəˈnænə/
any of several tropical and subtropical treelike herbs of the genus Musa having a terminal crown of large entire leaves and usually bearing hanging clusters of elongated fruits
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
bathingnounUS /ˈbeɪðɪŋ/
immersing the body in water or sunshine
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading The tiny settlement remaining, with its scattered few habitations, was beautiful beyond comparison.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading The tiny settlement remaining, with its scattered few habitations, was beautiful beyond comparison.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
the two together, not just one
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
breadfruitnounUS /ˈbredfruːt/
native to Pacific islands and having edible fruit with a texture like bread
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
cliffsnounUS /klɪfs/
plural of “cliff” — a steep high face of rock
From this reading The narrow valley itself sloped upward on either hand to a sheer wall of cliffs.
cocoanut-palms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
comparisonnounUS /kəmˈperəsən/
the act of examining resemblances
From this reading The tiny settlement remaining, with its scattered few habitations, was beautiful beyond comparison.
a pair who associate with one another
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
one or the other of two
From this reading The narrow valley itself sloped upward on either hand to a sheer wall of cliffs.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The tiny settlement remaining, with its scattered few habitations, was beautiful beyond comparison.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
at a previous time
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
habitations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tiny settlement remaining, with its scattered few habitations, was beautiful beyond comparison.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The narrow valley itself sloped upward on either hand to a sheer wall of cliffs.
hemmedverbUS /hemd/
inflected form of “hem” — fold over and sew together to provide with a hem
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
IdyllicadjectiveUS /aɪˈdɪlɪk/
excellent and delightful in all respects
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
inhabitedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈhæbətəd/
having inhabitants; lived in
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The tiny settlement remaining, with its scattered few habitations, was beautiful beyond comparison.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The narrow valley itself sloped upward on either hand to a sheer wall of cliffs.
junglenounUS /ˈdʒʌŋɡəl/
a location marked by an intense competition and struggle for survival
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
lime-trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
mangonounUS /ˈmæŋɡoʊ/
large evergreen tropical tree cultivated for its large oval fruit
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
massiveadjectiveUS /ˈmæsɪv/
imposing in size or bulk or solidity
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading The narrow valley itself sloped upward on either hand to a sheer wall of cliffs.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
proposalnounUS /prəˈpoʊzəl/
something proposed (such as a plan or assumption)
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
not used up
From this reading The tiny settlement remaining, with its scattered few habitations, was beautiful beyond comparison.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space
From this reading The tiny settlement remaining, with its scattered few habitations, was beautiful beyond comparison.
semi-circle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
settlementnounUS /ˈsetəlmənt/
a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
From this reading The tiny settlement remaining, with its scattered few habitations, was beautiful beyond comparison.
sheeradjectiveUS /ʃɪr/
complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers
From this reading The narrow valley itself sloped upward on either hand to a sheer wall of cliffs.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
slopedadjective
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading The narrow valley itself sloped upward on either hand to a sheer wall of cliffs.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
steepadjectiveUS /stiːp/
having a sharp inclination
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
tanglenounUS /ˈtæŋɡəl/
a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
plural of “thousand” — the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
throngnounUS /θrɔːŋ/
a large gathering of people
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
very small
From this reading The tiny settlement remaining, with its scattered few habitations, was beautiful beyond comparison.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The narrow valley itself sloped upward on either hand to a sheer wall of cliffs.
not expected or anticipated
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
upwardadjectiveUS /ˈʌpwərd/
directed up
From this reading The narrow valley itself sloped upward on either hand to a sheer wall of cliffs.
Vait-hua
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
VanquishedverbUS /ˈvæŋkwɪʃt/
past form of “vanquish” — come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading Idyllic valley of Vait-hua; the beauty of Vanquished Often; bathing on the beach; an unexpected proposal of marriage.
verdurenoun
green foliage
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading The narrow valley itself sloped upward on either hand to a sheer wall of cliffs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
water'snounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/
possessive form of “water” — 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 In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In the couple of miles from the water's edge to the jungle tangle of the high hills were thousands upon thousands of cocoanut-palms, breadfruit-, mango-, banana-, and lime-trees, all speaking of the throng of people that formerly inhabited this lovely spot, now so deserted.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The beach followed the semi-circle of the small bay, and was hemmed in on both sides by massive black rocks, above which rose steep mountains covered with verdure.
