used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And Phillida was still explaining to Pocket how the thing had come into her possession.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
apertures
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
beadsnounUS /biːdz/
several beads threaded together on a string
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
the act of breaking something
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
cameranounUS /ˈkæmərə/
equipment for taking photographs (usually consisting of a lightproof box with a lens at one end and light-sensitive film at the other)
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
chokedadjectiveUS /tʃoʊkt/
stopped up; clogged up
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading And Phillida was still explaining to Pocket how the thing had come into her possession.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
apart from; not including
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
explainingverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading And Phillida was still explaining to Pocket how the thing had come into her possession.
past form of “fold” — bend or lay so that one part covers the other
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
foreshorenoun
the part of the seashore between the highwater mark and the low-water mark
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
gangwaynoun
a temporary passageway of planks (as over mud on a building site)
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
highest in quality
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading And Phillida was still explaining to Pocket how the thing had come into her possession.
a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Phillida was still explaining to Pocket how the thing had come into her possession.
ten 10s
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading And Phillida was still explaining to Pocket how the thing had come into her possession.
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 rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
jointsnounUS /dʒɔɪnts/
plural of “joint” — (anatomy) the point of connection between two bones or elements of a skeleton (especially if it allows motion)
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
Phillida
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Phillida was still explaining to Pocket how the thing had come into her possession.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading And Phillida was still explaining to Pocket how the thing had come into her possession.
the act of having and controlling property
From this reading And Phillida was still explaining to Pocket how the thing had come into her possession.
preservationnounUS /ˌprezərˈveɪʃən/
the activity of protecting something from loss or danger
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
slicenounUS /slaɪs/
a share of something
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
slimeverbUS /slaɪm/
cover or stain with slime
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
not in physical motion
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
table-cloth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
a special situation
From this reading And Phillida was still explaining to Pocket how the thing had come into her possession.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It was coming down so hard at the time that I couldn’t see another creature out in it except myself.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And Phillida was still explaining to Pocket how the thing had come into her possession.
up-stream
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The camera had been placed upon a folded newspaper, for the better preservation of the hotel table-cloth.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And Phillida was still explaining to Pocket how the thing had come into her possession.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Its apertures were still choked with mud; beads of slime kept breaking out along the joints.
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 “The rain was the greatest piece of luck, though another big slice was an iron gangway to the foreshore about a hundred yards up-stream.
