used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
in addition
From this reading "They had indeed heard this, my child, but they also believed they could become rich by raising sugar-cane or tobacco.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading "They had indeed heard this, my child, but they also believed they could become rich by raising sugar-cane or tobacco.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading "They had indeed heard this, my child, but they also believed they could become rich by raising sugar-cane or tobacco.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "They had indeed heard this, my child, but they also believed they could become rich by raising sugar-cane or tobacco.
a young person of either sex
From this reading "They had indeed heard this, my child, but they also believed they could become rich by raising sugar-cane or tobacco.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "They had indeed heard this, my child, but they also believed they could become rich by raising sugar-cane or tobacco.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Great fortunes were made in the old days on the plantations here.
dearly loved
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
at any time
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
FIRSTadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading FIRST YEARS IN THE NEW WORLD.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
fortunesnounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃənz/
plural of “fortune” — an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading Great fortunes were made in the old days on the plantations here.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Great fortunes were made in the old days on the plantations here.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
where you live at a particular time
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading FIRST YEARS IN THE NEW WORLD.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading "They had indeed heard this, my child, but they also believed they could become rich by raising sugar-cane or tobacco.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
go away from a place
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
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 "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Great fortunes were made in the old days on the plantations here.
engage in
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
a dark region of considerable extent on the surface of the moon
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "They had indeed heard this, my child, but they also believed they could become rich by raising sugar-cane or tobacco.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading FIRST YEARS IN THE NEW WORLD.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Great fortunes were made in the old days on the plantations here.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Great fortunes were made in the old days on the plantations here.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
and nothing more
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "They had indeed heard this, my child, but they also believed they could become rich by raising sugar-cane or tobacco.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
plantationsnounUS /ˌplænˈteɪʃənz/
plural of “plantation” — an estate where cash crops are grown on a large scale (especially in tropical areas)
From this reading Great fortunes were made in the old days on the plantations here.
the event of something being raised upward
From this reading "They had indeed heard this, my child, but they also believed they could become rich by raising sugar-cane or tobacco.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
possessing material wealth
From this reading "They had indeed heard this, my child, but they also believed they could become rich by raising sugar-cane or tobacco.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
SpainnounUS /speɪn/
a parliamentary monarchy in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula; a former colonial power
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
sugar-cane
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "They had indeed heard this, my child, but they also believed they could become rich by raising sugar-cane or tobacco.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FIRST YEARS IN THE NEW WORLD.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
tobacconounUS /təˈbækoʊ/
leaves of the tobacco plant dried and prepared for smoking or ingestion
From this reading "They had indeed heard this, my child, but they also believed they could become rich by raising sugar-cane or tobacco.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Great fortunes were made in the old days on the plantations here.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Of course, they had heard what a beautiful island it is, but was that the only reason?"
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "PAPA dear," said Maria, one evening not long after this, "why did our people ever leave Spain and come here to make a home for themselves?
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading FIRST YEARS IN THE NEW WORLD.
a late time of life
From this reading FIRST YEARS IN THE NEW WORLD.
