used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
allotmentnounUS /əˈlɑːtmənt/
a share set aside for a specific purpose
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
a feeling of delight at being entertained
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
amusementsnounUS /əˈmjuːzmənts/
plural of “amusement” — a feeling of delight at being entertained
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “And both were young and one was beautiful.”
an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading “And both were young and one was beautiful.”
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
boomverbUS /buːm/
make a resonant sound, like artillery
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
the two together, not just one
From this reading “And both were young and one was beautiful.”
lacking funds
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
centernounUS /ˈsɛn.tər/
The middle point or core of an area.
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
a collection of things sharing a common attribute
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
concertsnounUS /ˈkɑːnsərts/
plural of “concert” — a performance of music by players or singers not involving theatrical staging
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
eightiesnounUS /ˈeɪtiz/
the decade from 1880 to 1889
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
everything you own; all of your assets (whether real property or personal property) and liabilities
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
factoriesnounUS /ˈfæktəriz/
plural of “factory” — a plant consisting of one or more buildings with facilities for manufacturing
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
fortyadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrti/
being ten more than thirty
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
headquartersnounUS /ˈhedkwɔːrtərz/
(usually plural) the office that serves as the administrative center of an enterprise
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
immeasurablyadverbUS /ˌɪˈmeʒəræbli/
to an immeasurable degree; beyond measurement
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
plural of “inhabitant” — a person who inhabits a particular place
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
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 There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
not any; not one
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
not one, and not any
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
occasionaladjectiveUS /əˈkeɪʒənəl/
occurring from time to time
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “And both were young and one was beautiful.”
operanounUS /ˈɑːprə/
a drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
by chance
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
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 There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
roadsnounUS /roʊdz/
a partly sheltered anchorage
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
except for; apart from
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
sparsitynoun
the property of being scanty or scattered; lacking denseness
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The town had perhaps more than a fair allotment of that class of people who find fault with everything, from the price of ice to the sparsity of amusements.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
townsnounUS /taʊnz/
plural of “town” — an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
two times
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
ValencianounUS /vəˈlensiə/
an industrial city in northern Venezuela
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
a numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “And both were young and one was beautiful.”
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “And both were young and one was beautiful.”
relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
which person or people
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading There were no factories, and there was no great value in real estate, since the wild boom of the early eighties, which made and broke so many western towns; but it was quite a railroad center, one of the principal western roads having headquarters there.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading Amusement there was none, save band concerts twice a week in summer, and an occasional show in the opera house in winter.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Valencia was a western town, with about forty thousand inhabitants who believed in and were immeasurably proud of the place.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading “And both were young and one was beautiful.”
