used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
affordedverbUS /əˈfɔːrdəd/
past form of “afford” — be able to spare or give up
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading BLACK SAL Jim Dennis's homestead was anything but an enticing place.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had built the bulk of it himself, and said it was good enough.
antsnounUS /ænts/
plural of “ant” — social insect living in organized colonies; characteristically the males and fertile queen have wings during breeding season; wingless sterile females are the workers
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
any thing at all
From this reading BLACK SAL Jim Dennis's homestead was anything but an enticing place.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The boards were fairly weather-beaten and the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading These insects were so industrious that one stump was a crumbling mass, so laboriously had it been honeycombed.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading BLACK SAL Jim Dennis's homestead was anything but an enticing place.
boardsnounUS /bɔːrdz/
(used in the plural) the stage of a theater
From this reading The boards were fairly weather-beaten and the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading He had built the bulk of it himself, and said it was good enough.
bulknounUS /bʌlk/
the property resulting from being or relating to the greater in number of two parts; the main part
From this reading He had built the bulk of it himself, and said it was good enough.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading BLACK SAL Jim Dennis's homestead was anything but an enticing place.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The boards were fairly weather-beaten and the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain.
crumblingverbUS /ˈkrʌmbəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “crumble” — fall apart
From this reading These insects were so industrious that one stump was a crumbling mass, so laboriously had it been honeycombed.
Dennis's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BLACK SAL Jim Dennis's homestead was anything but an enticing place.
plural of “end” — either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The boards were fairly weather-beaten and the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading He had built the bulk of it himself, and said it was good enough.
enticingadjectiveUS /enˈtaɪsɪŋ/
highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire
From this reading BLACK SAL Jim Dennis's homestead was anything but an enticing place.
to certain extent or degree
From this reading The boards were fairly weather-beaten and the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
galvanised
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boards were fairly weather-beaten and the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading He had built the bulk of it himself, and said it was good enough.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had built the bulk of it himself, and said it was good enough.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had built the bulk of it himself, and said it was good enough.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He had built the bulk of it himself, and said it was good enough.
homesteadnounUS /ˈhoʊmsted/
the home and adjacent grounds occupied by a family
From this reading BLACK SAL Jim Dennis's homestead was anything but an enticing place.
honeycombedadjective
pitted with cell-like cavities (as a honeycomb)
From this reading These insects were so industrious that one stump was a crumbling mass, so laboriously had it been honeycombed.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
industriousadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdʌstriəs/
characterized by hard work and perseverance
From this reading These insects were so industrious that one stump was a crumbling mass, so laboriously had it been honeycombed.
insectsnounUS /ˈɪnsekts/
plural of “insect” — small air-breathing arthropod
From this reading These insects were so industrious that one stump was a crumbling mass, so laboriously had it been honeycombed.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading The boards were fairly weather-beaten and the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had built the bulk of it himself, and said it was good enough.
Jim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BLACK SAL Jim Dennis's homestead was anything but an enticing place.
laboriouslyadverbUS /ləˈbɔːriəsli/
in a laborious manner
From this reading These insects were so industrious that one stump was a crumbling mass, so laboriously had it been honeycombed.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading These insects were so industrious that one stump was a crumbling mass, so laboriously had it been honeycombed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had built the bulk of it himself, and said it was good enough.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading These insects were so industrious that one stump was a crumbling mass, so laboriously had it been honeycombed.
pilesnounUS /paɪlz/
venous swelling external or internal to the anal sphincter
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading BLACK SAL Jim Dennis's homestead was anything but an enticing place.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading The boards were fairly weather-beaten and the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
refugenounUS /ˈrefjuːdʒ/
a safe place
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
ricketyadjectiveUS /ˈrɪkəti/
inclined to shake as from weakness or defect
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading The boards were fairly weather-beaten and the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading He had built the bulk of it himself, and said it was good enough.
SAL
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BLACK SAL Jim Dennis's homestead was anything but an enticing place.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading These insects were so industrious that one stump was a crumbling mass, so laboriously had it been honeycombed.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
stumpnounUS /stʌmp/
the base part of a tree that remains standing after the tree has been felled
From this reading These insects were so industrious that one stump was a crumbling mass, so laboriously had it been honeycombed.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading These insects were so industrious that one stump was a crumbling mass, so laboriously had it been honeycombed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He had built the bulk of it himself, and said it was good enough.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These insects were so industrious that one stump was a crumbling mass, so laboriously had it been honeycombed.
having edges that are jagged from injury
From this reading The boards were fairly weather-beaten and the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain.
verandahnoun
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading BLACK SAL Jim Dennis's homestead was anything but an enticing place.
weather-beatenadjective
tanned and coarsened from being outdoors
From this reading The boards were fairly weather-beaten and the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The boards were fairly weather-beaten and the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
a Caucasian
From this reading A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the house was built afforded a fine refuge for white ants.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The boards were fairly weather-beaten and the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain.
