used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
activelyadverbUS /ˈæktɪvli/
in an active manner
From this reading The warming-up process, recommended by Pierre, was being actively exploited.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
annoyingadjectiveUS /əˈnɔɪɪŋ/
causing irritation or annoyance
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
awakeningnounUS /əˈweɪkənɪŋ/
the act of waking
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The warming-up process, recommended by Pierre, was being actively exploited.
bouldernounUS /ˈboʊldər/
a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
an occurrence of something
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
rid of objects or obstructions such as e.g. trees and brush
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
a flow of electricity through a conductor
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
past form of “deceive” — be false to; be dishonest with
From this reading He had been neither flattered nor deceived.
Devil'snounUS /ˈdevəlz/
possessive form of “devil” — (Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
plural of “difficulty” — an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
ElbownounUS /ˈelboʊ/
hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
eliminatedverbUS /ɪˈlɪməneɪtɪd/
past form of “eliminate” — terminate, end, or take out
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
exploitedadjectiveUS /ˈeksplɔɪtəd/
developed or used to greatest advantage
From this reading The warming-up process, recommended by Pierre, was being actively exploited.
marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
Firmstone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
flatteredverbUS /ˈflætərd/
past form of “flatter” — praise somewhat dishonestly
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
gravitynounUS /ˈɡrævəti/
(physics) the force of attraction between all masses in the universe; especially the attraction of the earth's mass for bodies near its surface
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
and nothing more
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
LunanounUS /ˈluːnə/
(Roman mythology) the goddess of the Moon; counterpart of Greek Selene
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
manifestationnounUS /ˌmænəfeˈsteɪʃən/
a clear appearance
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
millverbUS /mɪl/
move about in a confused manner
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
necessitatingverbUS /nəˈsesɪteɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “necessitate” — require as useful, just, or proper
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading He had been neither flattered nor deceived.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading He had been neither flattered nor deceived.
obscureverbUS /əbsˈkjʊr/
make less visible or unclear
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
orenounUS /ɔːr/
a mineral that contains metal that is valuable enough to be mined
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
a course of conduct
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
capital of the state of South Dakota; located in central South Dakota on the Missouri river
From this reading The warming-up process, recommended by Pierre, was being actively exploited.
subject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying for some purpose, improving, or remedying a condition
From this reading The warming-up process, recommended by Pierre, was being actively exploited.
prolongedadjectiveUS /prəˈlɔːŋd/
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
propnounUS /prɑːp/
a support placed beneath or against something to keep it from shaking or falling
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
recommendedverbUS /ˌrekəˈmendɪd/
past form of “recommend” — push for something
From this reading The warming-up process, recommended by Pierre, was being actively exploited.
socially incorrect in behavior
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
only a very short time before
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
shut-downs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Scarcely a day passed but some annoying accident at the mine or mill occurred, frequently necessitating prolonged shut-downs.
inflected form of “steal” — take without the owner's consent
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
treatmentnounUS /ˈtriːtmənt/
care provided to improve a situation (especially medical procedures or applications that are intended to relieve illness or injury)
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
unstableadjectiveUS /ənˈsteɪbəl/
lacking stability or fixity or firmness
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
precisely as stated
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
warming-up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The warming-up process, recommended by Pierre, was being actively exploited.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The warming-up process, recommended by Pierre, was being actively exploited.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He knew very well that a prop put under an unstable boulder may obscure the manifestation of gravity; but he never deceived himself with the thought that it had been eliminated.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading _The Devil's Elbow_ If Firmstone had flattered himself that his firm but just treatment of Luna in the case of the stolen ore had cleared his path of difficulties he would have been forced by current events to a rude awakening.
