used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
(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 Naturally the crops suffered, the grain most of all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
barelyadverbUS /ˈberli/
only a very short time before
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading It was being diverted into the company's ditch system.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
company'snounUS /ˈkʌmpəniz/
possessive form of “company” — an institution created to conduct business
From this reading It was being diverted into the company's ditch system.
a state at a particular time
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
cropsnounUS /krɑːps/
plural of “crop” — the yield from plants in a single growing season
From this reading There was none for the main crops in the fields.
cultivationnounUS /ˌkʌltɪˈveɪʃən/
socialization through training and education to develop one's mind or manners
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
damsnounUS /dæmz/
plural of “dam” — a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
ditchnounUS /dɪtʃ/
a long narrow excavation in the earth
From this reading It was being diverted into the company's ditch system.
ditchesnounUS /ˈdɪtʃəz/
plural of “ditch” — a long narrow excavation in the earth
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
divertedadjectiveUS /daɪˈvɜːrtɪd/
pleasantly occupied
From this reading It was being diverted into the company's ditch system.
of concern to or concerning the internal affairs of a nation
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
emptyingnounUS /ˈemptiɪŋ/
the act of removing the contents of something
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
farmersnounUS /ˈfɑːrmərz/
plural of “farmer” — a person who operates a farm
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)
From this reading There was none for the main crops in the fields.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
plural of “garden” — a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
grainnounUS /ɡreɪn/
a relatively small granular particle of a substance
From this reading Naturally the crops suffered, the grain most of all.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was being diverted into the company's ditch system.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was being diverted into the company's ditch system.
and nothing more
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
plural of “land” — the land on which real estate is located
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
most important element
From this reading There was none for the main crops in the fields.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
as might be expected
From this reading Naturally the crops suffered, the grain most of all.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
not one, and not any
From this reading There was none for the main crops in the fields.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
pretencenoun
a false or unsupportable quality
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
purposesnounUS /ˈpɜːrpəsəz/
plural of “purpose” — an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
ranchersnounUS /ˈræntʃərz/
plural of “rancher” — a person who owns or operates a ranch
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
only a very short time before
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
the capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares entitling holders to an ownership interest
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to
From this reading Naturally the crops suffered, the grain most of all.
sufficedverbUS /səˈfaɪst/
past form of “suffice” — be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity
From this reading It was being diverted into the company's ditch system.
carry out
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
in or at that place or location
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading A week sufficed to put the ranchers' ditches and dams in condition to take care of water; but at the end of that time there was little water to take care of.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
at the time that
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Their ditches were running full, emptying upon lands on which scarcely a pretence of cultivation was being made, while the actual farmers, just when they needed it most, had barely sufficient water for their domestic purposes, for stock, and for their small gardens.
