used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
(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 My love of the wilderness was increasing year by year, but all desire to plow the wild land was gone.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As a proletariat I knew the power of the landlord and the value of land.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As a proletariat I knew the power of the landlord and the value of land.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
bridgesnounUS /ˈbrɪdʒəz/
United States labor leader who organized the longshoremen (1901-1990)
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading My love of the wilderness was increasing year by year, but all desire to plow the wild land was gone.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading My love of the wilderness was increasing year by year, but all desire to plow the wild land was gone.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
CalifornianounUS /ˌkæləˈfɔːrnjə/
a state in the western United States on the Pacific; the 3rd largest state; known for earthquakes
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
clingverbUS /klɪŋ/
come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
very opposed in nature or character or purpose
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
currentsnounUS /ˈkɜːrənts/
plural of “current” — a flow of electricity through a conductor
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading My love of the wilderness was increasing year by year, but all desire to plow the wild land was gone.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
a social unit living together
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
far-offadjective
very far away in space or time
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
destroyed or killed
From this reading My love of the wilderness was increasing year by year, but all desire to plow the wild land was gone.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
homesteadnounUS /ˈhoʊmsted/
the home and adjacent grounds occupied by a family
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading As a proletariat I knew the power of the landlord and the value of land.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
increasingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/
becoming greater or larger
From this reading My love of the wilderness was increasing year by year, but all desire to plow the wild land was gone.
involveverbUS /ˌɪnˈvɑːlv/
connect closely and often incriminatingly
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
islenounUS /aɪl/
a small island
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading As a proletariat I knew the power of the landlord and the value of land.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading As a proletariat I knew the power of the landlord and the value of land.
landlordnounUS /ˈlændlɔːrd/
a landowner who leases to others
From this reading As a proletariat I knew the power of the landlord and the value of land.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading My love of the wilderness was increasing year by year, but all desire to plow the wild land was gone.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
plural of “member” — one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
the location of something surrounded by other things
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My love of the wilderness was increasing year by year, but all desire to plow the wild land was gone.
characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
neighborsnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/
plural of “neighbor” — a person who lives (or is located) near another
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
obsessionnounUS /əbˈseʃən/
an irrational motive for performing trivial or repetitive actions, even against your will
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
plowverbUS /plaʊ/
to break and turn over earth especially with a plow
From this reading My love of the wilderness was increasing year by year, but all desire to plow the wild land was gone.
have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading As a proletariat I knew the power of the landlord and the value of land.
proletariatnounUS /ˌproʊləˈteriət/
a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading As a proletariat I knew the power of the landlord and the value of land.
roadsnounUS /roʊdz/
a partly sheltered anchorage
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
solidadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləd/
characterized by good substantial quality
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
streamingadjectiveUS /ˈstriːmɪŋ/
exuding a bodily fluid in profuse amounts
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
survivingadjectiveUS /sərˈvaɪvɪŋ/
still in existence
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
a numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed
From this reading As a proletariat I knew the power of the landlord and the value of land.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading My desire for a home did not involve a lonely cabin in a far-off valley, on the contrary I wanted roads and bridges and neighbors.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading My love of the wilderness was increasing year by year, but all desire to plow the wild land was gone.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading My hope now was to possess a minute isle of safety in the midst of the streaming currents of western life--a little solid ground in my native valley on which the surviving members of my family could catch and cling.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading My love of the wilderness was increasing year by year, but all desire to plow the wild land was gone.
wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading My love of the wilderness was increasing year by year, but all desire to plow the wild land was gone.
in the company of; together with
From this reading We Go to California The idea of a homestead now became an obsession with me.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading My love of the wilderness was increasing year by year, but all desire to plow the wild land was gone.
