1817
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
Anicet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
separated or at a distance in place or position or time
From this reading Apart from two or three of their number who knew a little English, they spoke Gaelic and Gaelic only.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
English botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific Ocean (1743-1820)
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
birthplacenounUS /ˈbɜːrθpleɪs/
the place where someone was born
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
crofters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
Dundee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
endurancenounUS /ˈendərəns/
the power to withstand hardship or stress
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading Apart from two or three of their number who knew a little English, they spoke Gaelic and Gaelic only.
exceptionnounUS /ɪkˈsepʃən/
a deliberate act of omission
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
expandsverbUS /ɪkˈspændz/
third-person singular of “expand” — extend in one or more directions
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
plural of “family” — a social unit living together
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
fishermennounUS /ˈfɪʃərmɪn/
plural of “fisherman” — someone whose occupation is catching fish
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
GaelicadjectiveUS /ˈɡeɪlɪk/
relating to or characteristic of the Celts
From this reading Apart from two or three of their number who knew a little English, they spoke Gaelic and Gaelic only.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
highest in quality
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
hemmedverbUS /hemd/
inflected form of “hem” — fold over and sew together to provide with a hem
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
immigrantsnounUS /ˈɪməɡrənts/
plural of “immigrant” — a person who comes to a country where they were not born in order to settle there
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
inappropriateadjectiveUS /ˌɪnəˈproʊpriɪt/
not suitable for a particular occasion etc
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
IslenounUS /aɪl/
a small island
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
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 Apart from two or three of their number who knew a little English, they spoke Gaelic and Gaelic only.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
LancasternounUS /ˈlænkæstər/
a city in northwestern England
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
LawrencenounUS /ˈlɔːrəns/
Roman martyr; supposedly Lawrence was ordered by the police to give up the church's treasure and when he responded by presenting the poor people of Rome he was roasted to death on a gridiron (died in 258)
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Apart from two or three of their number who knew a little English, they spoke Gaelic and Gaelic only.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
naughtnounUS /nɔːt/
a quantity of no importance
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
neighborsnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/
plural of “neighbor” — a person who lives (or is located) near another
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading Apart from two or three of their number who knew a little English, they spoke Gaelic and Gaelic only.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
and nothing more
From this reading Apart from two or three of their number who knew a little English, they spoke Gaelic and Gaelic only.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Apart from two or three of their number who knew a little English, they spoke Gaelic and Gaelic only.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
the act of having and controlling property
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
privationnounUS /praɪˈveɪʃən/
a state of extreme poverty
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
ScottishnounUS /ˈskɑːtɪʃ/
the dialect of English used in Scotland
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
settlementnounUS /ˈsetəlmənt/
a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
shantiesnounUS /ˈʃæntiz/
plural of “shanty” — small crude shelter used as a dwelling
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
inflected form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
Skye
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading Apart from two or three of their number who knew a little English, they spoke Gaelic and Gaelic only.
St
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
stripverbUS /strɪp/
take away possessions from someone
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
confined on all sides
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
surroundingsnounUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋz/
the environmental condition
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
swampsnounUS /swɑːmps/
plural of “swamp” — low land that is seasonally flooded; has more woody plants than a marsh and better drainage than a bog
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
territorynounUS /ˈterɪtɔːri/
a region marked off for administrative or other purposes
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Apart from two or three of their number who knew a little English, they spoke Gaelic and Gaelic only.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
trainingnounUS /ˈtreɪnɪŋ/
activity leading to skilled behavior
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Apart from two or three of their number who knew a little English, they spoke Gaelic and Gaelic only.
untroddenadjective
lacking pathways
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
the act of using
From this reading They brought naught beyond strong arms and great endurance of privation, for their training as crofters and fishermen was of little use in their new surroundings.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading Late in the fall of 1817 seven families of immigrants settled on the banks of the St Lawrence in Dundee, close to the St Anicet line and nearly opposite the village of Lancaster.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
which person or people
From this reading Apart from two or three of their number who knew a little English, they spoke Gaelic and Gaelic only.
widthnounUS /wɪdθ/
the extent of something from side to side
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading An untrodden wilderness of forest hemmed in their shanties, which were placed on the bank of the St Lawrence, and on the other side of the great river, which here expands into a lake two miles in width, were their nearest neighbors, who had shown them the greatest kindness.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With one exception, they had come from the Isle of Skye, and they named their settlement after their Scottish birthplace, which was not altogether inappropriate, for the strip of territory they had taken possession of was so surrounded on the land side by swamps as to be, in a sense, an island.
