used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A BACK-YARD SWITCHBACK.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading With this describe a circle about nine inches in diameter, or measuring about four and a half inches from the tack to the pencil.
affordsverbUS /əˈfɔːrdz/
third-person singular of “afford” — be able to spare or give up
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
attachverbUS /əˈtætʃ/
cause to be attached
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
BACK-YARD
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A BACK-YARD SWITCHBACK.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
make by combining materials and parts
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
carsnounUS /kɑːrz/
plural of “car” — a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
a low-lying region in central France
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading With this describe a circle about nine inches in diameter, or measuring about four and a half inches from the tack to the pencil.
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
commonlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːmənli/
under normal conditions
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
give a description of
From this reading With this describe a circle about nine inches in diameter, or measuring about four and a half inches from the tack to the pencil.
diameternounUS /daɪˈæmətər/
the length of a straight line passing through the center of a circle and connecting two points on the circumference
From this reading With this describe a circle about nine inches in diameter, or measuring about four and a half inches from the tack to the pencil.
the quality of being unlike or dissimilar
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
having the power of driving or impelling
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
equivalentnounUS /ɪˈkwɪvələnt/
a person or thing equal to another in value or measure or force or effect or significance etc
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
factorynounUS /ˈfæktəri/
a plant consisting of one or more buildings with facilities for manufacturing
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
fastenverbUS /ˈfæsən/
cause to be firmly attached
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading With this describe a circle about nine inches in diameter, or measuring about four and a half inches from the tack to the pencil.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading With this describe a circle about nine inches in diameter, or measuring about four and a half inches from the tack to the pencil.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading With this describe a circle about nine inches in diameter, or measuring about four and a half inches from the tack to the pencil.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
plural of “inch” — a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading With this describe a circle about nine inches in diameter, or measuring about four and a half inches from the tack to the pencil.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
machinerynounUS /məˈʃiːnəri/
machines or machine systems collectively
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
measuringnounUS /ˈmeʒərɪŋ/
the act or process of assigning numbers to phenomena according to a rule
From this reading With this describe a circle about nine inches in diameter, or measuring about four and a half inches from the tack to the pencil.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
neighborhoodnounUS /ˈneɪbərhʊd/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading With this describe a circle about nine inches in diameter, or measuring about four and a half inches from the tack to the pencil.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
pencilnounUS /ˈpensəl/
a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in wood
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
plankverbUS /plæŋk/
cover with planks
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
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 The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
except for; apart from
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
sawedverbUS /sɔːd/
past form of “saw” — cut with a saw
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
selectadjectiveUS /səˈlekt/
of superior grade
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
slidenounUS /slaɪd/
a small flat rectangular piece of glass on which specimens can be mounted for microscopic study
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
a lightweight cord
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
SWITCHBACK
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A BACK-YARD SWITCHBACK.
tackverbUS /tæk/
fasten with tacks
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading With this describe a circle about nine inches in diameter, or measuring about four and a half inches from the tack to the pencil.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
toboggannounUS /təˈbɑːɡən/
a long narrow sled without runners; boards curve upward in front
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
toboggansnounUS /təˈbɑːɡənz/
plural of “toboggan” — a long narrow sled without runners; boards curve upward in front
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
a source of difficulty
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
two-inch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
WheelsnounUS /wiːlz/
plural of “wheel” — a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines)
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
wood-working
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading The back-yard affords an opportunity to build a summer toboggan slide, or its equivalent, commonly known as a “Switchback,” the difference being that, in place of toboggans, cars are used, and in place of ice and snow you coast down a railroad track.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading The Wheels of the back-yard “switchback” car must be made of thick, sound wood, and if there is a wood-working factory in your neighborhood it will save you time and trouble to go there and have the wheels sawed out with the machinery which they have built for that kind of work.
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading But if you must do it yourself, then select a piece of two-inch plank, and after driving a tack in the centre, fasten a string to the tack and attach a soft pencil to the opposite end of the string.
