used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading At earliest dawn Captain Gould would be carried outside, to drink in the salt, invigorating air and bask in the sunshine.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For, except in bad weather, it would only be occupied at night.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading For, except in bad weather, it would only be occupied at night.
baskverbUS /bæsk/
derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading At earliest dawn Captain Gould would be carried outside, to drink in the salt, invigorating air and bask in the sunshine.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading For, except in bad weather, it would only be occupied at night.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
(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 TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
assets available for use in the production of further assets
From this reading The various recesses hollowed out inside it made capital separate rooms.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading At earliest dawn Captain Gould would be carried outside, to drink in the salt, invigorating air and bask in the sunshine.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading At earliest dawn Captain Gould would be carried outside, to drink in the salt, invigorating air and bask in the sunshine.
a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
the first light of day
From this reading At earliest dawn Captain Gould would be carried outside, to drink in the salt, invigorating air and bask in the sunshine.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
depthnounUS /depθ/
the extent downward or backward or inward
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
disadvantagenounUS /ˌdɪsədˈvæntɪdʒ/
the quality of having an inferior or less favorable position
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
take in liquids
From this reading At earliest dawn Captain Gould would be carried outside, to drink in the salt, invigorating air and bask in the sunshine.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/
(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early
From this reading At earliest dawn Captain Gould would be carried outside, to drink in the salt, invigorating air and bask in the sunshine.
apart from; not including
From this reading For, except in bad weather, it would only be occupied at night.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For, except in bad weather, it would only be occupied at night.
GouldnounUS /ɡuːld/
United States paleontologist and popularizer of science (1941-2002)
From this reading At earliest dawn Captain Gould would be carried outside, to drink in the salt, invigorating air and bask in the sunshine.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
hollowedverbUS /ˈhɑːloʊd/
past form of “hollow” — remove the inner part or the core of
From this reading The various recesses hollowed out inside it made capital separate rooms.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For, except in bad weather, it would only be occupied at night.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading The various recesses hollowed out inside it made capital separate rooms.
invigoratingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪɡəreɪtɪŋ/
imparting strength and vitality
From this reading At earliest dawn Captain Gould would be carried outside, to drink in the salt, invigorating air and bask in the sunshine.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The various recesses hollowed out inside it made capital separate rooms.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading For, except in bad weather, it would only be occupied at night.
held or filled or in use
From this reading For, except in bad weather, it would only be occupied at night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
and nothing more
From this reading For, except in bad weather, it would only be occupied at night.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The various recesses hollowed out inside it made capital separate rooms.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading At earliest dawn Captain Gould would be carried outside, to drink in the salt, invigorating air and bask in the sunshine.
past form of “provide” — give something useful or necessary to
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
housing available for people to live in
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
on the contrary
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
recessesnounUS /ˈriːsesəz/
plural of “recess” — a state of abeyance or suspended business
From this reading The various recesses hollowed out inside it made capital separate rooms.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading The various recesses hollowed out inside it made capital separate rooms.
a compound formed by replacing hydrogen in an acid by a metal (or a radical that acts like a metal)
From this reading At earliest dawn Captain Gould would be carried outside, to drink in the salt, invigorating air and bask in the sunshine.
act as a barrier between; stand between
From this reading The various recesses hollowed out inside it made capital separate rooms.
the rays of the sun
From this reading At earliest dawn Captain Gould would be carried outside, to drink in the salt, invigorating air and bask in the sunshine.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The various recesses hollowed out inside it made capital separate rooms.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
the act of testing something
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
triflingnounUS /ˈtraɪflɪŋ/
the deliberate act of delaying and playing instead of working
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity
From this reading The various recesses hollowed out inside it made capital separate rooms.
varyingadjectiveUS /ˈveriɪŋ/
marked by diversity or difference
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading For, except in bad weather, it would only be occupied at night.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a trifling disadvantage, that these recesses, which were of varying depth, were rather dark during the day, and that the cave itself was never very light.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading TIME OF TRIAL It would have been difficult to find better quarters than those provided by this cave.
