used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
(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 There was a quantity of timber growing around, but no really large trees; all were of the fir tribe.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
baredadjectiveUS /berd/
having the head uncovered
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
BritainnounUS /ˈbrɪtən/
a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; “Great Britain” is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom
From this reading One sees similar places in railway cuttings and cliffs in Britain, where workmen keep their tools.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was a quantity of timber growing around, but no really large trees; all were of the fir tribe.
a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
choppedadjectiveUS /tʃɑːpt/
prepared by cutting
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
cliffsnounUS /klɪfs/
plural of “cliff” — a steep high face of rock
From this reading One sees similar places in railway cuttings and cliffs in Britain, where workmen keep their tools.
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
a flow of electricity through a conductor
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
cuttingsnounUS /ˈkʌtɪŋz/
plural of “cutting” — the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film
From this reading One sees similar places in railway cuttings and cliffs in Britain, where workmen keep their tools.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
disclosedadjectiveUS /dɪˈskloʊzd/
made known (especially something secret or concealed)
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
dug-out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this "dug-out" Meade had lived.
at any time
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
to certain extent or degree
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
firnounUS /fɜːr/
nonresinous wood of a fir tree
From this reading There was a quantity of timber growing around, but no really large trees; all were of the fir tribe.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
fuelverbUS /ˈfjuːəl/
provide with a combustible substance that provides energy
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading There was a quantity of timber growing around, but no really large trees; all were of the fir tribe.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
indicationsnounUS /ˌɪndəˈkeɪʃənz/
plural of “indication” — something that serves to indicate or suggest
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading One sees similar places in railway cuttings and cliffs in Britain, where workmen keep their tools.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was a quantity of timber growing around, but no really large trees; all were of the fir tribe.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading In this "dug-out" Meade had lived.
MeadenounUS /miːd/
English economist noted for his studies of international trade and finance (1907-1995)
From this reading In this "dug-out" Meade had lived.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
not any; not one
From this reading There was a quantity of timber growing around, but no really large trees; all were of the fir tribe.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One sees similar places in railway cuttings and cliffs in Britain, where workmen keep their tools.
and nothing more
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
a human being
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading One sees similar places in railway cuttings and cliffs in Britain, where workmen keep their tools.
quantitynounUS /ˈkwɑːntəti/
how much there is or how many there are of something that you can quantify
From this reading There was a quantity of timber growing around, but no really large trees; all were of the fir tribe.
railwaynounUS /ˈreɪlweɪ/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading One sees similar places in railway cuttings and cliffs in Britain, where workmen keep their tools.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading There was a quantity of timber growing around, but no really large trees; all were of the fir tribe.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
plural of “see” — the seat within a bishop's diocese where his cathedral is located
From this reading One sees similar places in railway cuttings and cliffs in Britain, where workmen keep their tools.
marked by correspondence or resemblance
From this reading One sees similar places in railway cuttings and cliffs in Britain, where workmen keep their tools.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
stumpsnounUS /stʌmps/
plural of “stump” — the base part of a tree that remains standing after the tree has been felled
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
moving very fast
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading One sees similar places in railway cuttings and cliffs in Britain, where workmen keep their tools.
in or at that place or location
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In this "dug-out" Meade had lived.
timbernounUS /ˈtɪmbər/
the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading There was a quantity of timber growing around, but no really large trees; all were of the fir tribe.
toolsnounUS /tuːlz/
plural of “tool” — an implement used in the practice of a vocation
From this reading One sees similar places in railway cuttings and cliffs in Britain, where workmen keep their tools.
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 There was a quantity of timber growing around, but no really large trees; all were of the fir tribe.
tribenounUS /traɪb/
a social division of (usually preliterate) people
From this reading There was a quantity of timber growing around, but no really large trees; all were of the fir tribe.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
in or at the place that
From this reading One sees similar places in railway cuttings and cliffs in Britain, where workmen keep their tools.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading A few cut stumps, some wood chopped for fuel, and the ground bared around this door, were the only indications of any person having ever been about.
workmennounUS /ˈwɜːrkmɪn/
plural of “workman” — an employee who performs manual or industrial labor
From this reading One sees similar places in railway cuttings and cliffs in Britain, where workmen keep their tools.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading In a bank near the creek, which was about twenty yards wide and had a fairly swift current, there was a rough door, which, being half open, disclosed a dark cave within.
