used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
(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 not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
atomnounUS /ˈætəm/
(physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
completely unclothed
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Would They Be Friends?
bedroomsnounUS /ˈbedruːmz/
plural of “bedroom” — a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
biggeradjectiveUS /ˈbɪɡər/
large or big relative to something else
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
BurtonnounUS /ˈbɜːrtən/
English explorer who with John Speke was the first European to explore Lake Tanganyika (1821-1890)
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
cabinsnounUS /ˈkæbənz/
plural of “cabin” — small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
civilizationnounUS /ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən/
a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
gotten under control
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
opinion or judgment
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Would They Be Friends?
destroyed or killed
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
plural of “habit” — an established custom
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
harmonynounUS /ˈhɑːrməni/
compatibility in opinion and action
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
temporary military shelter
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
inspectverbUS /ˌɪnˈspekt/
look over carefully
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
a room equipped for preparing meals
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
lean-tonoun
rough shelter whose roof has only one slope
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
loghouse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
engage in
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
outcomenounUS /ˈaʊtkʌm/
something that results
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
make a painting
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
primitiveadjectiveUS /ˈprɪmətɪv/
belonging to an early stage of technical development; characterized by simplicity and (often) crudeness
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
restfuladjectiveUS /ˈrestfəl/
affording physical or mental rest
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
only a very short time before
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
transport commercially
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
shornadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrn/
having the hair or wool cut or clipped off as if with shears or clippers
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
simplicitynounUS /sɪmˈplɪsəti/
the quality of being simple or uncompounded
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
sitting-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
surroundingadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋ/
closely encircling
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Would They Be Friends?
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The hut contained two small bedrooms, scarcely bigger than cabins on board ship, one sitting-room, and a lean-to kitchen in the rear.
precisely as stated
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
at the time that
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But there was not very much that needed doing, and their weeks of river travel had shorn away so many habits which are the outcome of too much civilization, that they had come down to a primitive simplicity of living.
wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading There was not an atom of paint about the place; it was all bare, brown wood, restful to the eyes, and in perfect harmony with the surrounding wilderness.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading When Mrs. Burton had gone, Mary set to work to inspect the little loghouse, and make things comfortable for the night.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Would They Be Friends?
