used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
(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 HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
in addition
From this reading They are also named _bacteria_.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
BacterianounUS /bækˈtɪriə/
(microbiology) single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
containverbUS /kənˈteɪn/
include or contain; have as a component
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
provide with a covering or cause to be covered
From this reading They are so small that a million laid side by side would not cover the head of a pin.
dirtnounUS /dɜːrt/
the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
remove the dust from
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
the organ of sight
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
GermsnounUS /dʒɜːrmz/
plural of “germ” — anything that provides inspiration for later work
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
growthnounUS /ɡroʊθ/
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading They are so small that a million laid side by side would not cover the head of a pin.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
instrumentnounUS /ˈɪnstrəmənt/
a device that requires skill for proper use
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
set down according to a plan
From this reading They are so small that a million laid side by side would not cover the head of a pin.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading These little plants are called _germs_ or _microbes_.
plural of “make” — a recognizable kind
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
MicrobesnounUS /ˈmaɪkroʊbz/
plural of “microbe” — a minute life form (especially a disease-causing bacterium); the term is not in technical use
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
microscopenounUS /ˈmaɪkrəskoʊp/
magnifier of the image of small objects
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
millionnounUS /ˈmɪljən/
the number that is represented as a one followed by 6 zeros
From this reading They are so small that a million laid side by side would not cover the head of a pin.
past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading They are also named _bacteria_.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They are so small that a million laid side by side would not cover the head of a pin.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
pinverbUS /pɪn/
to hold fast or prevent from moving
From this reading They are so small that a million laid side by side would not cover the head of a pin.
PLANTSnounUS /plænts/
plural of “plant” — buildings for carrying on industrial labor
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading They are so small that a million laid side by side would not cover the head of a pin.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
SOURverbUS /ˈsaʊər/
go sour or spoil
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
SPOILverbUS /spɔɪl/
make a mess of, destroy or ruin
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
produced or marked by conscious design or premeditation
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading An instrument called a _microscope_ makes them appear so large that their form and growth are easily studied.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These little plants are called _germs_ or _microbes_.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They are also named _bacteria_.
plural of “thousand” — the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
very small
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading HOW PLANTS SOUR OR SPOIL FOOD =Germs, Microbes, or Bacteria.=--The dust and dirt of all sorts contain thousands of tiny plants too small to be seen by the eye without help.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They are so small that a million laid side by side would not cover the head of a pin.
