used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
(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 Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
in addition
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
from appearances alone
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
bunchnounUS /bʌntʃ/
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
campedverbUS /kæmpt/
past form of “camp” — live in or as if in a tent
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
rid of obstructions
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
a legal document signed and sealed and delivered to effect a transfer of property and to show the legal right to possess it
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
denotedverbUS /dɪˈnoʊtəd/
past form of “denote” — be a sign or indication of
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
desertsnounUS /ˈdezərts/
plural of “desert” — arid land with little or no vegetation
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
devoidadjectiveUS /dɪˈvɔɪd/
completely wanting or lacking
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
at any time
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
finaladjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəl/
occurring at or forming an end or termination
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
gradenounUS /ɡreɪd/
a body of students who are taught together
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
gradersnounUS /ˈɡreɪdərz/
plural of “grader” — a judge who assigns grades to something
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
headquartersnounUS /ˈhedkwɔːrtərz/
(usually plural) the office that serves as the administrative center of an enterprise
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
immediately past
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
nowherenounUS /ˈnoʊwer/
an insignificant place
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
OgdennounUS /ˈɑːɡdən/
English psychologist who collaborated with I. A. Richards in designing Basic English (1889-1957)
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
used when we are both doing the action and receiving it
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
recurrentadjectiveUS /rɪˈkɜːrənt/
recurring again and again
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
red-shirted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
move hurridly
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
a compound formed by replacing hydrogen in an acid by a metal (or a radical that acts like a metal)
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
sand-obscured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
SeeminglyadverbUS /ˈsiːmɪŋli/
from appearances alone
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
stakesnounUS /steɪks/
the money risked on a gamble
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
sterileadjectiveUS /ˈsterəl/
incapable of reproducing
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
not in physical motion
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
surveyorsnounUS /sərˈveɪərz/
plural of “surveyor” — an engineer who determines the boundaries and elevations of land or structures
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
threadverbUS /θred/
to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
topicnounUS /ˈtɑːpɪk/
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
wended
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
westwardadverbUS /ˈwestwərd/
toward the west
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
