used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
(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 The trim condition of the beds, the neatly weeded paths, all bore traces of the Corporal's industry.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading MOTHER MIDGE AND THE CORPORAL.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
assistantsnounUS /əˈsɪstənts/
plural of “assistant” — a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
From this reading But neither he nor his assistants were to be seen.
a container that is usually woven and has handles
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
batteredadjectiveUS /ˈbætərd/
damaged by blows or hard usage
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But neither he nor his assistants were to be seen.
bedsnounUS /bedz/
plural of “bed” — a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading The trim condition of the beds, the neatly weeded paths, all bore traces of the Corporal's industry.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
next to; at the side of
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
cause to be bored
From this reading The trim condition of the beds, the neatly weeded paths, all bore traces of the Corporal's industry.
boy'snounUS /bɔɪz/
possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But neither he nor his assistants were to be seen.
a state at a particular time
From this reading The trim condition of the beds, the neatly weeded paths, all bore traces of the Corporal's industry.
CORPORALnounUS /ˈkɔːrpərəl/
a noncommissioned officer in the Army or Air Force or Marines
From this reading MOTHER MIDGE AND THE CORPORAL.
Corporal's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The trim condition of the beds, the neatly weeded paths, all bore traces of the Corporal's industry.
cottagesnounUS /ˈkɑːtɪdʒɪz/
plural of “cottage” — a small house with a single story
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But neither he nor his assistants were to be seen.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But neither he nor his assistants were to be seen.
hoenounUS /hoʊ/
a tool with a flat blade attached at right angles to a long handle
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
industrynounUS /ˈɪndəstri/
the people or companies engaged in a particular kind of commercial enterprise
From this reading The trim condition of the beds, the neatly weeded paths, all bore traces of the Corporal's industry.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
kitchen-garden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
set down according to a plan
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
MIDGEnounUS /mɪdʒ/
minute two-winged mosquito-like fly lacking biting mouthparts; appear in dancing swarms especially near water
From this reading MOTHER MIDGE AND THE CORPORAL.
morning'snounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/
possessive form of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading MOTHER MIDGE AND THE CORPORAL.
neatlyadverbUS /ˈniːtli/
with neatness
From this reading The trim condition of the beds, the neatly weeded paths, all bore traces of the Corporal's industry.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading But neither he nor his assistants were to be seen.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading But neither he nor his assistants were to be seen.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
overturnedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊvərtɜːrnd/
having been turned so that the bottom is no longer the bottom
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
pathsnounUS /pæðz/
plural of “path” — a course of conduct
From this reading The trim condition of the beds, the neatly weeded paths, all bore traces of the Corporal's industry.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
rakeverbUS /reɪk/
move through with or as if with a rake
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading But neither he nor his assistants were to be seen.
slopingadjectiveUS /ˈsloʊpɪŋ/
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MOTHER MIDGE AND THE CORPORAL.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But neither he nor his assistants were to be seen.
tracesnounUS /ˈtreɪsəz/
plural of “trace” — a just detectable amount
From this reading The trim condition of the beds, the neatly weeded paths, all bore traces of the Corporal's industry.
trimverbUS /trɪm/
remove the edges from and cut down to the desired size
From this reading The trim condition of the beds, the neatly weeded paths, all bore traces of the Corporal's industry.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading A long sloping piece of ground behind the two cottages had been laid out as a kitchen-garden.
weededverbUS /ˈwiːdɪd/
past form of “weed” — clear of weeds
From this reading The trim condition of the beds, the neatly weeded paths, all bore traces of the Corporal's industry.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But neither he nor his assistants were to be seen.
in the company of; together with
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading An overturned basket, with a hoe and a rake lying beside it, and a boy's battered straw hat, alone bore evidence of the morning's work.
