used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
in the past
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
(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 "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It would be a nasty place to get out of, Jerry, for the cliffs are perpendicular from half-way up."
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "There has been a big slip here both sides," the miner said, looking round.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "There has been a big slip here both sides," the miner said, looking round.
the two together, not just one
From this reading "There has been a big slip here both sides," the miner said, looking round.
broadenedverbUS /ˈbrɔːdənd/
past form of “broaden” — make broader
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
cañon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
cliffsnounUS /klɪfs/
plural of “cliff” — a steep high face of rock
From this reading "It would be a nasty place to get out of, Jerry, for the cliffs are perpendicular from half-way up."
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
floodsnounUS /flʌdz/
plural of “flood” — the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "It would be a nasty place to get out of, Jerry, for the cliffs are perpendicular from half-way up."
shoot down, of birds
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
half-way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It would be a nasty place to get out of, Jerry, for the cliffs are perpendicular from half-way up."
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "There has been a big slip here both sides," the miner said, looking round.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "There has been a big slip here both sides," the miner said, looking round.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
ten 10s
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
JerrynounUS /ˈdʒeri/
offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading "It would be a nasty place to get out of, Jerry, for the cliffs are perpendicular from half-way up."
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading "There has been a big slip here both sides," the miner said, looking round.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
minernounUS /ˈmaɪnər/
laborer who works in a mine
From this reading "There has been a big slip here both sides," the miner said, looking round.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
nastyadjectiveUS /ˈnæsti/
offensive or even (of persons) malicious
From this reading "It would be a nasty place to get out of, Jerry, for the cliffs are perpendicular from half-way up."
not any; not one
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "It would be a nasty place to get out of, Jerry, for the cliffs are perpendicular from half-way up."
perpendicularnounUS /ˌpɜːrpənˈdɪkjələr/
a straight line at right angles to another line
From this reading "It would be a nasty place to get out of, Jerry, for the cliffs are perpendicular from half-way up."
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
past form of “proceed” — continue talking
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
one of four equal parts
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading "There has been a big slip here both sides," the miner said, looking round.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "There has been a big slip here both sides," the miner said, looking round.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading "There has been a big slip here both sides," the miner said, looking round.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
move stealthily
From this reading "There has been a big slip here both sides," the miner said, looking round.
slopesnounUS /sloʊps/
plural of “slope” — an elevated geological formation
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
possessing sweep
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "There has been a big slip here both sides," the miner said, looking round.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
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 "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
UNITEDadjectiveUS /juːˈnaɪtɪd/
characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "It would be a nasty place to get out of, Jerry, for the cliffs are perpendicular from half-way up."
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading The horses can find enough to keep them alive here for a day or two, and that is all we shall want, I hope."
wideningnounUS /ˈwaɪdənɪŋ/
an increase in width
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "It would be a nasty place to get out of, Jerry, for the cliffs are perpendicular from half-way up."
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading UNITED The cañon showed no sign of widening until they had proceeded a quarter of a mile from the entrance, then it broadened suddenly for a distance of a hundred yards.
a late time of life
From this reading "It must have taken place a great many years ago, for the winter floods have swept away all signs of it, and there are grass and trees on the slopes.
