used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “To facilitate the work at this stage, a plan which I had long considered was put into effect.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading Then we lowered it, by means of the derrick, until it floated easily seventy feet below, on the still surface of the water.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading We built a big flat-bottomed scow, crude but serviceable, and capable of holding ten scoopfuls of muck from the dredge.
the lower side of anything
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
brinknounUS /brɪŋk/
a region marking a boundary
From this reading The scow was constructed, right on the brink of the well, of logs and such other materials as we had at hand.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
bucketnounUS /ˈbʌkət/
a roughly cylindrical vessel that is open at the top
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading We built a big flat-bottomed scow, crude but serviceable, and capable of holding ten scoopfuls of muck from the dredge.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Then we lowered it, by means of the derrick, until it floated easily seventy feet below, on the still surface of the water.
(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability
From this reading We built a big flat-bottomed scow, crude but serviceable, and capable of holding ten scoopfuls of muck from the dredge.
carefully weighed
From this reading “To facilitate the work at this stage, a plan which I had long considered was put into effect.
constructedverbUS /kənˈstrʌktəd/
past form of “construct” — make by combining materials and parts
From this reading The scow was constructed, right on the brink of the well, of logs and such other materials as we had at hand.
crudeadjectiveUS /kruːd/
not carefully or expertly made
From this reading We built a big flat-bottomed scow, crude but serviceable, and capable of holding ten scoopfuls of muck from the dredge.
derricknounUS /ˈderɪk/
a framework erected over an oil well to allow drill tubes to be raised and lowered
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
discardverbUS /dɪˈskɑːrd/
throw or cast away
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
dredgeverbUS /dredʒ/
cover before cooking
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading Then we lowered it, by means of the derrick, until it floated easily seventy feet below, on the still surface of the water.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading “To facilitate the work at this stage, a plan which I had long considered was put into effect.
divisible by two
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
facilitateverbUS /fəˈsɪləteɪt/
make easier
From this reading “To facilitate the work at this stage, a plan which I had long considered was put into effect.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
feweradjectiveUS /ˈfjuːər/
(comparative of “few” used with count nouns) quantifier meaning a smaller number of
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
plural of “find” — a productive insight
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
flat-bottomedadjective
having a flat bottom
From this reading We built a big flat-bottomed scow, crude but serviceable, and capable of holding ten scoopfuls of muck from the dredge.
floatedverbUS /ˈfloʊtəd/
past form of “float” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading Then we lowered it, by means of the derrick, until it floated easily seventy feet below, on the still surface of the water.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading We built a big flat-bottomed scow, crude but serviceable, and capable of holding ten scoopfuls of muck from the dredge.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The scow was constructed, right on the brink of the well, of logs and such other materials as we had at hand.
the act of retaining something
From this reading We built a big flat-bottomed scow, crude but serviceable, and capable of holding ten scoopfuls of muck from the dredge.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading “To facilitate the work at this stage, a plan which I had long considered was put into effect.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
logsnounUS /lɔːɡz/
plural of “log” — a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches
From this reading The scow was constructed, right on the brink of the well, of logs and such other materials as we had at hand.
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 SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
loweredadjectiveUS /ˈloʊərd/
below the surround or below the normal position
From this reading Then we lowered it, by means of the derrick, until it floated easily seventy feet below, on the still surface of the water.
materialsnounUS /məˈtɪriəlz/
plural of “material” — the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object
From this reading The scow was constructed, right on the brink of the well, of logs and such other materials as we had at hand.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading Then we lowered it, by means of the derrick, until it floated easily seventy feet below, on the still surface of the water.
mouthfulnounUS /ˈmaʊθfʊl/
the quantity that can be held in the mouth
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
muckverbUS /mʌk/
remove muck, clear away muck, as in a mine
From this reading We built a big flat-bottomed scow, crude but serviceable, and capable of holding ten scoopfuls of muck from the dredge.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The scow was constructed, right on the brink of the well, of logs and such other materials as we had at hand.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The scow was constructed, right on the brink of the well, of logs and such other materials as we had at hand.
have the will and intention to carry out some action
From this reading “To facilitate the work at this stage, a plan which I had long considered was put into effect.
previouslyadverbUS /ˈpriːviəsli/
at an earlier time or formerly
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading “To facilitate the work at this stage, a plan which I had long considered was put into effect.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
precisely, exactly
From this reading The scow was constructed, right on the brink of the well, of logs and such other materials as we had at hand.
scoopfuls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We built a big flat-bottomed scow, crude but serviceable, and capable of holding ten scoopfuls of muck from the dredge.
scownounUS /skaʊ/
any of various flat-bottomed boats with sloping ends
From this reading We built a big flat-bottomed scow, crude but serviceable, and capable of holding ten scoopfuls of muck from the dredge.
serviceableadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrvəsəbəl/
ready for service or able to give long service
From this reading We built a big flat-bottomed scow, crude but serviceable, and capable of holding ten scoopfuls of muck from the dredge.
seventyadjectiveUS /ˈsevənti/
being ten more than sixty
From this reading Then we lowered it, by means of the derrick, until it floated easily seventy feet below, on the still surface of the water.
shale-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
SIXTYadjectiveUS /ˈsɪksti/
being ten more than fifty
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
not in physical motion
From this reading Then we lowered it, by means of the derrick, until it floated easily seventy feet below, on the still surface of the water.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The scow was constructed, right on the brink of the well, of logs and such other materials as we had at hand.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading Then we lowered it, by means of the derrick, until it floated easily seventy feet below, on the still surface of the water.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading We built a big flat-bottomed scow, crude but serviceable, and capable of holding ten scoopfuls of muck from the dredge.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then we lowered it, by means of the derrick, until it floated easily seventy feet below, on the still surface of the water.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “To facilitate the work at this stage, a plan which I had long considered was put into effect.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
treasuresnounUS /ˈtreʒərz/
plural of “treasure” — accumulated wealth in the form of money or jewels etc.
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
UNDERprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Then we lowered it, by means of the derrick, until it floated easily seventy feet below, on the still surface of the water.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
precisely as stated
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
(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 SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
in or at the place that
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “To facilitate the work at this stage, a plan which I had long considered was put into effect.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER We had reached the stage where it was very slow work for the dredge to get even a mouthful of the stiff, almost shale-like bottom of the well, but, while we brought up fewer treasures than previously, I was not ready to discard the derrick and dredge as long as the bucket brought up any finds whatever.
