used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
acresnounUS /ˈeɪkərz/
extensive landed property (especially in the country) retained by the owner for his own use
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
(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 The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
announcementnounUS /əˈnaʊnsmənt/
a formal public statement
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
barrenadjectiveUS /ˈbærən/
providing no shelter or sustenance
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
buyingnounUS /ˈbaɪɪŋ/
the act of buying
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/
the last (12th) month of the year
From this reading The squire and his wife had returned in December, and it was rumoured that they were going to sell the property.
eveningsnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋz/
plural of “evening” — the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
the act of departing
From this reading The squire and his wife had returned in December, and it was rumoured that they were going to sell the property.
gravelnounUS /ˈɡrævəl/
rock fragments and pebbles
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The squire and his wife had returned in December, and it was rumoured that they were going to sell the property.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
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 The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
and nothing more
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
organnounUS /ˈɔːrɡən/
a fully differentiated structural and functional unit in an animal that is specialized for some particular function
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
peasantnounUS /ˈpezənt/
a country person
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
peasantsnounUS /ˈpezənts/
plural of “peasant” — a country person
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
proceedsnounUS /prəˈsiːdz/
the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone
From this reading The squire and his wife had returned in December, and it was rumoured that they were going to sell the property.
purchasenounUS /ˈpɜːrtʃəs/
the acquisition of something for payment
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
railwaynounUS /ˈreɪlweɪ/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
to give an account or representation of in words
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading The squire and his wife had returned in December, and it was rumoured that they were going to sell the property.
rumoured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The squire and his wife had returned in December, and it was rumoured that they were going to sell the property.
exchange or deliver for money or its equivalent
From this reading The squire and his wife had returned in December, and it was rumoured that they were going to sell the property.
disposed of to a purchaser
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
the underside of footwear or a golf club
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
spinning-wheels
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
the season of growth
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
young nobleman attendant on a knight
From this reading The squire and his wife had returned in December, and it was rumoured that they were going to sell the property.
move an implement through
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
plural of “stranger” — anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The squire and his wife had returned in December, and it was rumoured that they were going to sell the property.
timidlyadverbUS /ˈtɪmədli/
in a shy or timid or bashful manner
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
topicnounUS /ˈtɑːpɪk/
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The announcement that the railway was to be built in the spring caused a great stir in the village.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
at the time that
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading The squire was playing the American organ all day long, as usual, and only laughed when the people timidly asked him whether there was any truth in the report.
which person or people
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading The squire and his wife had returned in December, and it was rumoured that they were going to sell the property.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading The strangers who went about buying land from the peasants were the sole topic of conversation at the spinning-wheels on winter evenings.
in the company of; together with
From this reading One poor peasant had sold his barren gravel hill, and had been able to purchase ten acres of the best land with the proceeds.
