used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Mr. Tarbox’s farm was located in Woodburn, rather a small town in Iowa.
acrenounUS /ˈeɪkər/
a unit of area (4840 square yards) used in English-speaking countries
From this reading He owned a large farm, which he had bought at the government price of one dollar and a quarter an acre.
how long something has existed
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
in addition
From this reading He also owned a smaller farm a mile and a half west of the one he occupied, and this he cultivated on shares.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He owned a large farm, which he had bought at the government price of one dollar and a quarter an acre.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He owned a large farm, which he had bought at the government price of one dollar and a quarter an acre.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It had been a lucky purchase, for a railway intersected it, and he had obtained a large price for the land used.
inflected form of “buy” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading He owned a large farm, which he had bought at the government price of one dollar and a quarter an acre.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
ConnecticutnounUS /kəˈnetəkət/
a New England state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
cultivatedadjectiveUS /ˈkʌltəveɪtɪd/
(of land or fields) prepared for raising crops by plowing or fertilizing
From this reading He also owned a smaller farm a mile and a half west of the one he occupied, and this he cultivated on shares.
dollarnounUS /ˈdɑːlər/
the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents
From this reading He owned a large farm, which he had bought at the government price of one dollar and a quarter an acre.
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading Mr. Tarbox’s farm was located in Woodburn, rather a small town in Iowa.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It had been a lucky purchase, for a railway intersected it, and he had obtained a large price for the land used.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
frontiernounUS /frənˈtɪr/
a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit
From this reading He owned a large farm, which he had bought at the government price of one dollar and a quarter an acre.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He owned a large farm, which he had bought at the government price of one dollar and a quarter an acre.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading He also owned a smaller farm a mile and a half west of the one he occupied, and this he cultivated on shares.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Mr. Tarbox’s farm was located in Woodburn, rather a small town in Iowa.
intersectedverbUS /ˌɪntərˈsektɪd/
past form of “intersect” — meet at a point
From this reading It had been a lucky purchase, for a railway intersected it, and he had obtained a large price for the land used.
IowanounUS /ˈaɪəwə/
a member of the Siouan people formerly living in Iowa and Minnesota and Missouri
From this reading Mr. Tarbox’s farm was located in Woodburn, rather a small town in Iowa.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had been a lucky purchase, for a railway intersected it, and he had obtained a large price for the land used.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading It had been a lucky purchase, for a railway intersected it, and he had obtained a large price for the land used.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He owned a large farm, which he had bought at the government price of one dollar and a quarter an acre.
locatedadjectiveUS /ˈloʊkeɪtəd/
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading Mr. Tarbox’s farm was located in Woodburn, rather a small town in Iowa.
occurring by chance
From this reading It had been a lucky purchase, for a railway intersected it, and he had obtained a large price for the land used.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading He also owned a smaller farm a mile and a half west of the one he occupied, and this he cultivated on shares.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. Tarbox’s farm was located in Woodburn, rather a small town in Iowa.
past form of “obtain” — come into possession of
From this reading It had been a lucky purchase, for a railway intersected it, and he had obtained a large price for the land used.
held or filled or in use
From this reading He also owned a smaller farm a mile and a half west of the one he occupied, and this he cultivated on shares.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He also owned a smaller farm a mile and a half west of the one he occupied, and this he cultivated on shares.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He owned a large farm, which he had bought at the government price of one dollar and a quarter an acre.
originallyadverbUS /ərˈɪdʒənəli/
in an original manner
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
ownedadjectiveUS /oʊnd/
having an owner; often used in combination
From this reading He owned a large farm, which he had bought at the government price of one dollar and a quarter an acre.
the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)
From this reading He owned a large farm, which he had bought at the government price of one dollar and a quarter an acre.
purchasenounUS /ˈpɜːrtʃəs/
the acquisition of something for payment
From this reading It had been a lucky purchase, for a railway intersected it, and he had obtained a large price for the land used.
one of four equal parts
From this reading He owned a large farm, which he had bought at the government price of one dollar and a quarter an acre.
railwaynounUS /ˈreɪlweɪ/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading It had been a lucky purchase, for a railway intersected it, and he had obtained a large price for the land used.
on the contrary
From this reading Mr. Tarbox’s farm was located in Woodburn, rather a small town in Iowa.
separated in relationship by a given degree of descent
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
sharesnounUS /ʃerz/
plural of “share” — assets belonging to or due to or contributed by an individual person or group
From this reading He also owned a smaller farm a mile and a half west of the one he occupied, and this he cultivated on shares.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Mr. Tarbox’s farm was located in Woodburn, rather a small town in Iowa.
small or little relative to something else
From this reading He also owned a smaller farm a mile and a half west of the one he occupied, and this he cultivated on shares.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
Tarbox's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Tarbox’s farm was located in Woodburn, rather a small town in Iowa.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He also owned a smaller farm a mile and a half west of the one he occupied, and this he cultivated on shares.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Mr. Tarbox’s farm was located in Woodburn, rather a small town in Iowa.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading It had been a lucky purchase, for a railway intersected it, and he had obtained a large price for the land used.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mr. Tarbox’s farm was located in Woodburn, rather a small town in Iowa.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading He also owned a smaller farm a mile and a half west of the one he occupied, and this he cultivated on shares.
relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
From this reading He was originally from Connecticut, but at the age of thirty removed to the then frontier Western State.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He owned a large farm, which he had bought at the government price of one dollar and a quarter an acre.
Woodburn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Tarbox’s farm was located in Woodburn, rather a small town in Iowa.
