Chapter XV

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

(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 These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

cause to be bored

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading These have never seen a big railroad in the building.

(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

a state in the western United States on the Pacific; the 3rd largest state; known for earthquakes

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

being joined in close association

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

the act of constructing something

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

plural of “contractor” — someone (a person or firm) who contracts to build things

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

coins made of gold

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading These have never seen a big railroad in the building.

not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent

From this reading Many people imagine that tramps never work at honest toil.

form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case

From this reading Many people imagine that tramps never work at honest toil.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

without possibility of separation

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

plural of “laborer” — someone who works with their hands; someone engaged in manual labor

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

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 These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Many people imagine that tramps never work at honest toil.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

plural of “outfit” — any cohesive unit such as a military company

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

the local environment

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Many people imagine that tramps never work at honest toil.

line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

a property of polygons: the property of having equal sides and equal angles

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading These have never seen a big railroad in the building.

a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Many people imagine that tramps never work at honest toil.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

work hard

From this reading Many people imagine that tramps never work at honest toil.

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

plural of “train” — public transport provided by a line of railway cars coupled together and drawn by a locomotive

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

a vagrant

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

plural of “tramp” — a vagrant

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity

From this reading These trains and others brought many tramp laborers from all parts of the United States, for tramps are inseparably connected with big construction in dirt and rock.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

a periodical that is published every week (or 52 issues per year)

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading OUT WEST A NEW railroad to be called the Gold Belt Cut-off was being built in California.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

which person or people

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

in the company of; together with

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading At a little desert town named Spur trains arrived with almost weekly regularity which bore the outfits of contractors who were to do the work.