used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
achingadjectiveUS /ˈeɪkɪŋ/
causing a dull and steady pain
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
next to; at the side of
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
an onerous or difficult concern
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
campedverbUS /kæmpt/
past form of “camp” — live in or as if in a tent
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
unvarying in nature
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
contrivedadjectiveUS /kənˈtraɪvd/
showing effects of planning or manipulation
From this reading He had lived very sparingly of late, and had contrived that Grenfell got rather more than his share of the cut-down rations.
cruellyadverbUS /ˈkruːli/
excessively
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
cut-down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had lived very sparingly of late, and had contrived that Grenfell got rather more than his share of the cut-down rations.
dewyadjectiveUS /ˈduːi/
wet with dew
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
fernnounUS /fɜːrn/
any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
FRUITLESSadjectiveUS /ˈfruːtləs/
unproductive of success
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
galledadjective
painful from having the skin abraded
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading He had lived very sparingly of late, and had contrived that Grenfell got rather more than his share of the cut-down rations.
Grenfell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had lived very sparingly of late, and had contrived that Grenfell got rather more than his share of the cut-down rations.
Grenfell's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
heavieradjectiveUS /ˈheviər/
comparative of “heavy” — of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
inclinationnounUS /ˌɪnkləˈneɪʃən/
an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
lairnounUS /ler/
the habitation of wild animals
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
lakesnounUS /leɪks/
plural of “lake” — a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading He had lived very sparingly of late, and had contrived that Grenfell got rather more than his share of the cut-down rations.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading He had lived very sparingly of late, and had contrived that Grenfell got rather more than his share of the cut-down rations.
loadnounUS /loʊd/
weight to be borne or conveyed
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
for more time
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He had lived very sparingly of late, and had contrived that Grenfell got rather more than his share of the cut-down rations.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
absolutely essential
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
not any; not one
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
not one, and not any
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
obviouslyadverbUS /ˈɑːbviəsli/
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
occupationnounUS /ˌɑːkjəˈpeɪʃən/
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
pack-straps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
experiencing or manifesting pleasure
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
pressurenounUS /ˈpreʃər/
the force applied to a unit area of surface; measured in pascals (SI unit) or in dynes (cgs unit)
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
established beyond doubt
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
provisionsnounUS /prəˈvɪʒənz/
a stock or supply of foods
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
rangesnounUS /ˈreɪndʒəz/
plural of “range” — an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
with speed
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
on the contrary
From this reading He had lived very sparingly of late, and had contrived that Grenfell got rather more than his share of the cut-down rations.
rationsnounUS /ˈræʃənz/
plural of “ration” — the food allowance for one day (especially for service personnel)
From this reading He had lived very sparingly of late, and had contrived that Grenfell got rather more than his share of the cut-down rations.
reluctantlyadverbUS /rɪˈlʌktəntli/
with reluctance
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
searchingadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtʃɪŋ/
diligent and thorough in inquiry or investigation
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
have in common
From this reading He had lived very sparingly of late, and had contrived that Grenfell got rather more than his share of the cut-down rations.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
sparinglyadverbUS /ˈsperɪŋli/
to a meager degree or in a meager manner
From this reading He had lived very sparingly of late, and had contrived that Grenfell got rather more than his share of the cut-down rations.
not in physical motion
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
swimverbUS /swɪm/
travel through water
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He had lived very sparingly of late, and had contrived that Grenfell got rather more than his share of the cut-down rations.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading His shoulders were aching, and the constant pressure of the pack-straps had galled them cruelly; but in one respect it would not have troubled him if his burden had been heavier, for their provisions were running out rapidly.
precisely as stated
From this reading He had lived very sparingly of late, and had contrived that Grenfell got rather more than his share of the cut-down rations.
past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a river close by, but he no longer felt the least inclination for a morning swim, or, indeed, for any occupation that was not obviously necessary.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
(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 He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
WestonnounUS /ˈwestən/
United States photographer(1886-1958)
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
at the time that
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A FRUITLESS SEARCH They had wandered far through the ranges, and camped beside several lonely lakes, none of which, however, proved to be the one for which they were searching, when Weston rose one morning from his lair among the dewy fern.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He did it reluctantly, for during the past week he had carried Grenfell's load as well as his own, and it would have pleased him to lie still a little longer.
