used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
beddingnounUS /ˈbedɪŋ/
coverings that are used on a bed
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading Sam’s trout were a dainty item on our bill of fare that night.
boughsnounUS /baʊz/
plural of “bough” — any of the larger branches of a tree
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Our camp was in a dry but gloomy grove, and we piled the camp-fire high.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading Our camp was in a dry but gloomy grove, and we piled the camp-fire high.
camp-fire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our camp was in a dry but gloomy grove, and we piled the camp-fire high.
a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
daintyadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪnti/
delicately beautiful
From this reading Sam’s trout were a dainty item on our bill of fare that night.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading Our camp was in a dry but gloomy grove, and we piled the camp-fire high.
dusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
elasticadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæstɪk/
capable of resuming original shape after stretching or compression; springy
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
encampedverbUS /ɪnˈkæmpt/
past form of “encamp” — live in or as if in a tent
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
farenounUS /fer/
an agenda of things to do
From this reading Sam’s trout were a dainty item on our bill of fare that night.
floatverbUS /floʊt/
be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
depressingly dark
From this reading Our camp was in a dry but gloomy grove, and we piled the camp-fire high.
goodlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡʊdli/
large in amount or extent or degree
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
grovenounUS /ɡroʊv/
a small growth of trees without underbrush
From this reading Our camp was in a dry but gloomy grove, and we piled the camp-fire high.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
hemlocknounUS /ˈhemlɑːk/
poisonous drug derived from an Eurasian plant of the genus Conium
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Our camp was in a dry but gloomy grove, and we piled the camp-fire high.
an indirect suggestion
From this reading We took the hint and pitched tent.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
itemnounUS /ˈaɪtəm/
a distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a list
From this reading Sam’s trout were a dainty item on our bill of fare that night.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Sam’s trout were a dainty item on our bill of fare that night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Sam’s trout were a dainty item on our bill of fare that night.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Sam’s trout were a dainty item on our bill of fare that night.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
piledverbUS /paɪld/
past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks
From this reading Our camp was in a dry but gloomy grove, and we piled the camp-fire high.
pitchedadjectiveUS /pɪtʃt/
(of sound) set to a certain pitch or key; usually used as a combining form
From this reading We took the hint and pitched tent.
just preceding something else in time or order
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
Sam'snounUS /sæmz/
possessive form of “sam” — a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading Sam’s trout were a dainty item on our bill of fare that night.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)
From this reading We took the hint and pitched tent.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Sam’s trout were a dainty item on our bill of fare that night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading We took the hint and pitched tent.
tributariesnounUS /ˈtrɪbjəteriz/
plural of “tributary” — a branch that flows into the main stream
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
troutnounUS /traʊt/
flesh of any of several primarily freshwater game and food fishes
From this reading Sam’s trout were a dainty item on our bill of fare that night.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading By this time the stream, having taken in two or three small tributaries, had grown deep enough to float us in comfort.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Our camp was in a dry but gloomy grove, and we piled the camp-fire high.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Sam’s trout were a dainty item on our bill of fare that night.
in or at the place that
From this reading A little before dusk we reached a spot where some previous party had encamped, and had left behind a goodly store of elastic hemlock boughs for bedding.
