used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A DISMAL NIGHT.
anew
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It would be more proper to speak of the trap in which he was caught as an expansion of a gorge.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading It would be more proper to speak of the trap in which he was caught as an expansion of a gorge.
go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
recognizable; marked
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
dependedverbUS /dɪˈpendəd/
past form of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
DISMALadjectiveUS /ˈdɪzməl/
causing dejection
From this reading A DISMAL NIGHT.
essaynounUS /eˈseɪ/
an analytic or interpretive literary composition
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
expansionnounUS /ɪkˈspænʃən/
the act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope
From this reading It would be more proper to speak of the trap in which he was caught as an expansion of a gorge.
favorableadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪvərəbəl/
encouraging or approving or pleasing
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
flintyadjectiveUS /ˈflɪnti/
containing flint
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
gorgeverbUS /ɡɔːrdʒ/
overeat or eat immodestly; make a pig of oneself
From this reading It would be more proper to speak of the trap in which he was caught as an expansion of a gorge.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
HamiltonnounUS /ˈhæməltən/
Irish mathematician (1806-1865)
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
HarveynounUS /ˈhɑːrvi/
English physician and scientist who described the circulation of the blood; he later proposed that all animals originate from an ovum produced by the female of the species (1578-1657)
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
an opening into or through something
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
-ing form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
meltingnounUS /ˈmeltɪŋ/
the process whereby heat changes something from a solid to a liquid
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading A DISMAL NIGHT.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness
From this reading It would be more proper to speak of the trap in which he was caught as an expansion of a gorge.
rainsnounUS /reɪnz/
plural of “rain” — water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
precisely, exactly
From this reading His supposition was right.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
express in speech
From this reading It would be more proper to speak of the trap in which he was caught as an expansion of a gorge.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
produced or marked by conscious design or premeditation
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
suppositionnounUS /ˌsʌpəˈzɪʃən/
a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
From this reading His supposition was right.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
trapnounUS /træp/
a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading It would be more proper to speak of the trap in which he was caught as an expansion of a gorge.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His supposition was right.
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 “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
weaklyadverbUS /ˈwiːkli/
in a weak or feeble manner or to a minor degree
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
weren't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Before making an attempt to climb out of the flinty “pocket” Harvey Hamilton studied his situation again, weakly hoping he could discover a more favorable spot for the essay upon which so much depended.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “This must be more than a hole in the ground,” he decided, “for if it weren’t, it would be filled with water from the rains and melting snow.”
