used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
the state of being absent
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
accumulationnounUS /əˌkjuːmjəˈleɪʃən/
an increase by natural growth or addition
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
archedadjectiveUS /ɑːrtʃt/
constructed with or in the form of an arch or arches
From this reading A board walk led from the street to the wide, arched entrance.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading A board walk led from the street to the wide, arched entrance.
buckboardnoun
an open horse-drawn carriage with four wheels; has a seat attached to a flexible board between the two axles
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
buildingsnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋz/
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
bustlingadjectiveUS /ˈbʌsəlɪŋ/
full of energetic and noisy activity
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
citiesnounUS /ˈsɪtiz/
plural of “city” — a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
contrastnounUS /ˈkɑːntræst/
the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
courthousenounUS /ˈkɔːrthaʊs/
a government building that houses the offices of a county government
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
cowponies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
debrisnounUS /dəˈbriː/
the remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
dingyadjectiveUS /ˈdɪndʒi/
thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
remove the dust from
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading A board walk led from the street to the wide, arched entrance.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
apart from; not including
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading A board walk led from the street to the wide, arched entrance.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
litteredadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtərd/
filled or scattered with a disorderly accumulation of objects or rubbish
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
newlyadverbUS /ˈnuːli/
very recently
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
offeringnounUS /ˈɔːfərɪŋ/
something offered (as a proposal or bid)
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
one-story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
prairienounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
redbrickadjective
of or relating to British universities founded in the late 19th century or the 20th century
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
schoonernounUS /ˈskuːnər/
a large beer glass
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
squattingnounUS /ˈskwɑːtɪŋ/
exercising by repeatedly assuming a crouching position with the knees bent; strengthens the leg muscles
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
not in physical motion
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
the rays of the sun
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A board walk led from the street to the wide, arched entrance.
totalverbUS /ˈtoʊtəl/
add up in number or quantity
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
vicinitynounUS /vəˈsɪnəti/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading A board walk led from the street to the wide, arched entrance.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
(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 THE RULE OF CATTLE The courthouse was a low, one-story redbrick building, sitting well back from the street.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading A board walk led from the street to the wide, arched entrance.
in the company of; together with
From this reading From the steps one could look down the street at the station and the other buildings squatting in the sunlight, dingy with the dust of many dry days.
workmennounUS /ˈwɜːrkmɪn/
plural of “workman” — an employee who performs manual or industrial labor
From this reading It was evidently newly built, for an accumulation of debris, left by the workmen, still littered the ground in the vicinity.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Except for the cowponies and the buckboard and the prairie schooner there was a total absence of life or movement, offering a striking contrast to the bustling cities to which the young man had been accustomed.
