used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Ruth had been but a few yards out of the way in her calculations.
at or in the front
From this reading RUTH IN THE TOILS The lake shore was just ahead of the fugitives.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading She and Helen came out upon the beach almost at the spot where the fishing punt lay.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She and Helen came out upon the beach almost at the spot where the fishing punt lay.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
ashnounUS /æʃ/
the residue that remains when something is burned
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She and Helen came out upon the beach almost at the spot where the fishing punt lay.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading She and Helen came out upon the beach almost at the spot where the fishing punt lay.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Ruth had been but a few yards out of the way in her calculations.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Ruth had been but a few yards out of the way in her calculations.
calculationsnounUS /ˌkælkjəˈleɪʃənz/
plural of “calculation” — the procedure of calculating; determining something by mathematical or logical methods
From this reading Ruth had been but a few yards out of the way in her calculations.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She and Helen came out upon the beach almost at the spot where the fishing punt lay.
past form of “command” — be in command of
From this reading "Jump in, Helen!" commanded Ruth.
one or the other of two
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Ruth had been but a few yards out of the way in her calculations.
fishingnounUS /ˈfɪʃɪŋ/
the act of someone who fishes as a diversion
From this reading She and Helen came out upon the beach almost at the spot where the fishing punt lay.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
fugitivesnounUS /ˈfjuːdʒɪtɪvz/
plural of “fugitive” — someone who flees from an uncongenial situation
From this reading RUTH IN THE TOILS The lake shore was just ahead of the fugitives.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Ruth had been but a few yards out of the way in her calculations.
handleverbUS /ˈhændəl/
be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
(Greek mythology) the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda who was abducted by Paris; the Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back which resulted in the Trojan War
From this reading She and Helen came out upon the beach almost at the spot where the fishing punt lay.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Ruth had been but a few yards out of the way in her calculations.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading RUTH IN THE TOILS The lake shore was just ahead of the fugitives.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
JumpverbUS /dʒʌmp/
move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading "Jump in, Helen!" commanded Ruth.
and nothing more
From this reading RUTH IN THE TOILS The lake shore was just ahead of the fugitives.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading RUTH IN THE TOILS The lake shore was just ahead of the fugitives.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She and Helen came out upon the beach almost at the spot where the fishing punt lay.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading RUTH IN THE TOILS The lake shore was just ahead of the fugitives.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Ruth had been but a few yards out of the way in her calculations.
peeledadjectiveUS /piːld/
(used informally) completely unclothed
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
polenounUS /poʊl/
a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
puntverbUS /pʌnt/
kick the ball
From this reading She and Helen came out upon the beach almost at the spot where the fishing punt lay.
United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
From this reading RUTH IN THE TOILS The lake shore was just ahead of the fugitives.
saplingnounUS /ˈsæplɪŋ/
young tree
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She and Helen came out upon the beach almost at the spot where the fishing punt lay.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading RUTH IN THE TOILS The lake shore was just ahead of the fugitives.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading She and Helen came out upon the beach almost at the spot where the fishing punt lay.
successive (without a break)
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading RUTH IN THE TOILS The lake shore was just ahead of the fugitives.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
TOILSnounUS /tɔɪlz/
plural of “toil” — productive work (especially physical work done for wages)
From this reading RUTH IN THE TOILS The lake shore was just ahead of the fugitives.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The boat appeared to be sound, and the pole lying in it was a straight, peeled ash sapling, not too heavy for either of the girls to handle.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She and Helen came out upon the beach almost at the spot where the fishing punt lay.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading RUTH IN THE TOILS The lake shore was just ahead of the fugitives.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Ruth had been but a few yards out of the way in her calculations.
in or at the place that
From this reading She and Helen came out upon the beach almost at the spot where the fishing punt lay.
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 Ruth had been but a few yards out of the way in her calculations.
