used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "THINK you've been at it long enough, Billy; you'd better rest a bit."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "THINK you've been at it long enough, Billy; you'd better rest a bit."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "THINK you've been at it long enough, Billy; you'd better rest a bit."
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading "THINK you've been at it long enough, Billy; you'd better rest a bit."
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading "THINK you've been at it long enough, Billy; you'd better rest a bit."
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading "THINK you've been at it long enough, Billy; you'd better rest a bit."
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
dugnounUS /dʌɡ/
an udder or breast or teat
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading "THINK you've been at it long enough, Billy; you'd better rest a bit."
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Billy was having his first lesson in gardening.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
freshlyadverbUS /ˈfreʃli/
very recently
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
GARDENINGnounUS /ˈɡɑːrdənɪŋ/
the cultivation of plants
From this reading GARDENING.
the father of your father or mother
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Billy was having his first lesson in gardening.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Billy was having his first lesson in gardening.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Billy was having his first lesson in gardening.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "THINK you've been at it long enough, Billy; you'd better rest a bit."
labouringadjective
doing arduous or unpleasant work
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
immediately past
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
a unit of instruction
From this reading Billy was having his first lesson in gardening.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading "THINK you've been at it long enough, Billy; you'd better rest a bit."
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
patchnounUS /pætʃ/
a small contrasting part of something
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
made ready or fit or suitable beforehand
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading "THINK you've been at it long enough, Billy; you'd better rest a bit."
the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
inflected form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
spadenounUS /speɪd/
a playing card in the major suit that has one or more black figures on it
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
the season of growth
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "THINK you've been at it long enough, Billy; you'd better rest a bit."
tillagenounUS /ˈtɪlɑːdʒ/
arable land that is worked by plowing and sowing and raising crops
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
the act of using
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
viewingnounUS /ˈvjuːɪŋ/
the display of a motion picture
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Billy was having his first lesson in gardening.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading His grandfather had shown him the proper way to use his spade, and for the last half hour he had been labouring on a patch of ground which had to be dug up and prepared for spring tillage.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Now, as his grandfather spoke, he ceased work and stood leaning on his spade, viewing the freshly turned soil with great satisfaction.
you'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "THINK you've been at it long enough, Billy; you'd better rest a bit."
you've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "THINK you've been at it long enough, Billy; you'd better rest a bit."
