used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The last hundred miles of their journey had been through a region studded with curious masses of sandstone.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
Binney
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
boundary-line
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
castlesnounUS /ˈkæsəlz/
plural of “castle” — a large and stately mansion
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
ColoradonounUS /ˌkɑːlərˈɑːdoʊ/
a state in west central United States in the Rocky Mountains
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
overfilled or compacted or concentrated
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading The last hundred miles of their journey had been through a region studded with curious masses of sandstone.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
a statement that represents something in words
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
a military campaign designed to achieve a specific objective in a foreign country
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
having or given a form or shape
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
GlennounUS /ɡlen/
a narrow secluded valley (in the mountains)
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The last hundred miles of their journey had been through a region studded with curious masses of sandstone.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
the vertical dimension of extension; distance from the base of something to the top
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
ten 10s
From this reading The last hundred miles of their journey had been through a region studded with curious masses of sandstone.
a single distinct event
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
inexhaustibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnɪɡˈzɔːstəbəl/
that cannot be entirely consumed or used up
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading The last hundred miles of their journey had been through a region studded with curious masses of sandstone.
KansasnounUS /ˈkænzəs/
a state in midwestern United States
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
immediately past
From this reading The last hundred miles of their journey had been through a region studded with curious masses of sandstone.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading RUNNING THE LINE.
Lyle's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
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 It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
massesnounUS /ˈmæsəz/
the common people generally
From this reading The last hundred miles of their journey had been through a region studded with curious masses of sandstone.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading The last hundred miles of their journey had been through a region studded with curious masses of sandstone.
monumentsnounUS /ˈmɑːnjəmənts/
plural of “monument” — a structure erected to commemorate persons or events
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
PlainsnounUS /pleɪnz/
plural of “plain” — extensive tract of level open land
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
the extended spatial location of something
From this reading The last hundred miles of their journey had been through a region studded with curious masses of sandstone.
resemblingverbUS /rɪˈzembəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “resemble” — appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
ruinsnounUS /ˈruːənz/
plural of “ruin” — an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading RUNNING THE LINE.
sandstonenounUS /ˈsændstoʊn/
a sedimentary rock consisting of sand consolidated with some cement (clay or quartz etc.)
From this reading The last hundred miles of their journey had been through a region studded with curious masses of sandstone.
occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
speculationnounUS /ˌspekjəˈleɪʃən/
a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
make steady
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
studdedadjectiveUS /ˈstʌdɪd/
dotted or adorned with or as with studs or nailheads; usually used in combination
From this reading The last hundred miles of their journey had been through a region studded with curious masses of sandstone.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
surveysnounUS /sərˈveɪz/
plural of “survey” — a detailed critical inspection
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading RUNNING THE LINE.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The last hundred miles of their journey had been through a region studded with curious masses of sandstone.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
towersnounUS /ˈtaʊərz/
plural of “tower” — a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
in or at the place that
From this reading After this day and night, crowded so full of incident, four days of steady travel brought General Lyle's expedition to a point close to the boundary-line between Kansas and Colorado, where their surveys were to begin.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading These were scattered far and wide over the Plains, and rose to a height of from one hundred to three hundred feet, resembling towers, monuments, castles, and ruins of every description.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The last hundred miles of their journey had been through a region studded with curious masses of sandstone.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading It was hard to believe that many of them were not the work of human hands; and to Glen and Binney they formed an inexhaustible subject for wonder and speculation.
