an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Plowing was now impossible, but there was much to be done.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
make by combining materials and parts
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Plowing was now impossible, but there was much to be done.
buyingnounUS /ˈbaɪɪŋ/
the act of buying
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
coalnounUS /koʊl/
fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the Carboniferous period
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Plowing was now impossible, but there was much to be done.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
dwellingnounUS /ˈdwelɪŋ/
housing that someone is living in
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
economynounUS /ɪˈkɑːnəmi/
the system of production and distribution and consumption
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
expensiveadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspensɪv/
high in price or charging high prices
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
fittedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪtəd/
being the right size and shape to fit as desired
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
frostnounUS /frɔːst/
ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
fuelverbUS /ˈfjuːəl/
provide with a combustible substance that provides energy
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
HardingnounUS /ˈhɑːrdɪŋ/
29th President of the United States; two of his appointees were involved in the Teapot Dome scandal (1865-1823)
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
haulagenounUS /ˈhɔːlədʒ/
the act of drawing or hauling something
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading Plowing was now impossible, but there was much to be done.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
plural of “keep” — the financial means whereby one lives
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
logsnounUS /lɔːɡz/
plural of “log” — a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
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 Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
lumbernounUS /ˈlʌmbər/
the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
the force of workers available
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Plowing was now impossible, but there was much to be done.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Plowing was now impossible, but there was much to be done.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
PlowingnounUS /ˈplaʊɪŋ/
tilling the land with a plow
From this reading Plowing was now impossible, but there was much to be done.
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
railroadnounUS /ˈreɪlroʊd/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
rigorousadjectiveUS /ˈrɪɡərəs/
rigidly accurate; allowing no deviation from a standard
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
sawedverbUS /sɔːd/
past form of “saw” — cut with a saw
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
only a very short time before
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
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 AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
settlernounUS /ˈsetələr/
a person who settles in a new colony or moves into new country
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
shrankverbUS /ʃræŋk/
inflected form of “shrink” — wither, as with a loss of moisture
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
simplifiedverbUS /ˈsɪmpləfaɪd/
inflected form of “simplify” — make simpler or easier or reduce in complexity or extent
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
the season of growth
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
stablesnounUS /ˈsteɪbəlz/
plural of “stable” — a farm building for housing horses or other livestock
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Plowing was now impossible, but there was much to be done.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Plowing was now impossible, but there was much to be done.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
unobtainableadjectiveUS /ˌʌnəbˈteɪnəbəl/
not capable of being obtained
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Plowing was now impossible, but there was much to be done.
weather-proof
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The inside of the dwelling had to be fitted up, and logs were needed for the stables he must build in the spring.
in or at the place that
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Harding might have simplified his task by buying sawed lumber, but the long railroad haulage made it expensive, and he never shrank from labor which led to economy.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
in the company of; together with
From this reading AN ACCIDENT With the help of men from the railroad settlement Harding finished his house and made it weather-proof before the frost struck deep into the soil.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading Trees large enough for the purpose were scarce; and where coal is unobtainable, cutting wood for fuel keeps the settler busy during the rigorous winter.
