used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
agilitynounUS /əˈdʒɪləti/
the gracefulness of a person or animal that is quick and nimble
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
in the past
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
English botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific Ocean (1743-1820)
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading But the children knew better.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the children knew better.
a low-lying region in central France
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading But the children knew better.
clearancenounUS /ˈklɪrəns/
the distance by which one thing clears another; the space between them
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
rid of objects or obstructions such as e.g. trees and brush
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
divisible by two
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
flowedverbUS /floʊd/
past form of “flow” — move or progress freely as if in a stream
From this reading Long Island was one of the largest of the little islands round which the river flowed.
foliagenounUS /ˈfoʊlɪdʒ/
the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
fordnounUS /fɔːrd/
United States film maker (1896-1973)
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
temporary military shelter
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
impenetrableadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpenətrəbəl/
not admitting of penetration or passage into or through
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading Long Island was one of the largest of the little islands round which the river flowed.
plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading Long Island was one of the largest of the little islands round which the river flowed.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
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 But the children knew better.
largestadjectiveUS /ˈlɑːrdʒəst/
superlative of “large” — above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Long Island was one of the largest of the little islands round which the river flowed.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Long Island was one of the largest of the little islands round which the river flowed.
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 Long Island was one of the largest of the little islands round which the river flowed.
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 In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
not any; not one
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Long Island was one of the largest of the little islands round which the river flowed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Long Island was one of the largest of the little islands round which the river flowed.
and nothing more
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
overgrownadjectiveUS /ˌoʊvərˈɡroʊn/
covered with growing plants
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading Long Island was one of the largest of the little islands round which the river flowed.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Long Island was one of the largest of the little islands round which the river flowed.
a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Long Island was one of the largest of the little islands round which the river flowed.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
thicklyadverbUS /ˈθɪkli/
spoken with poor articulation as if with a thick tongue
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The river at this part was more considerable, and even now, at the end of the dry season, it required no little agility to ford it.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Long Island was one of the largest of the little islands round which the river flowed.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Long Island was one of the largest of the little islands round which the river flowed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The island was so thickly overgrown with trees and bushes that from the banks it seemed to be only an impenetrable mass of foliage.
a late time of life
From this reading In the centre was a little cleared spot, and on that clearance their father had, many years ago, built a hut.
