used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
abyssnounUS /əˈbɪs/
a bottomless gulf or pit; any unfathomable (or apparently unfathomable) cavity or chasm or void extending below (often used figuratively)
From this reading They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
the lower side of anything
From this reading They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading But the youngest brother determined to explore the abyss, and letting himself down by the rope he soon reached the bottom.
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
the act of burning something
From this reading They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the youngest brother determined to explore the abyss, and letting himself down by the rope he soon reached the bottom.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But the youngest brother determined to explore the abyss, and letting himself down by the rope he soon reached the bottom.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading At first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls.
characterized by great determination
From this reading But the youngest brother determined to explore the abyss, and letting himself down by the rope he soon reached the bottom.
dirtyadjectiveUS /ˈdɜːrti/
soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime
From this reading At first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss.
exploreverbUS /ɪkˈsplɔːr/
inquire into
From this reading But the youngest brother determined to explore the abyss, and letting himself down by the rope he soon reached the bottom.
intense or sharp
From this reading Here he found a lovely meadow full of green trees and exquisite flowers.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss.
go or come after and bring or take back
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls.
flamingadjectiveUS /ˈfleɪmɪŋ/
informal intensifiers
From this reading At first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading Here he found a lovely meadow full of green trees and exquisite flowers.
set up or found
From this reading Here he found a lovely meadow full of green trees and exquisite flowers.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading Here he found a lovely meadow full of green trees and exquisite flowers.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Here he found a lovely meadow full of green trees and exquisite flowers.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading At first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here he found a lovely meadow full of green trees and exquisite flowers.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading But the youngest brother determined to explore the abyss, and letting himself down by the rope he soon reached the bottom.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss.
property that is leased or rented out or let
From this reading But the youngest brother determined to explore the abyss, and letting himself down by the rope he soon reached the bottom.
provided with artificial light
From this reading At first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading Here he found a lovely meadow full of green trees and exquisite flowers.
meadownounUS /ˈmedoʊ/
a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay
From this reading Here he found a lovely meadow full of green trees and exquisite flowers.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
on one occasion
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
and nothing more
From this reading At first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls.
pine-wood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading At first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading But the youngest brother determined to explore the abyss, and letting himself down by the rope he soon reached the bottom.
a strong line
From this reading They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss.
ropesnounUS /roʊps/
plural of “rope” — a strong line
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss.
in the near future
From this reading But the youngest brother determined to explore the abyss, and letting himself down by the rope he soon reached the bottom.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading At first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
torchnounUS /tɔːrtʃ/
a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance
From this reading At first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Here he found a lovely meadow full of green trees and exquisite flowers.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading At first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls.
plural of “wall” — 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 At first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He went at once to fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot.
youngestadjectiveUS /ˈjʌŋɡəst/
superlative of “young” — (used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading But the youngest brother determined to explore the abyss, and letting himself down by the rope he soon reached the bottom.
