used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading We were laying iron rails across the deserts, and would soon be scaling the Rockies with them.
AlpsnounUS /ælps/
a large mountain system in south-central Europe; scenic beauty and winter sports make them a popular tourist attraction
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
on or to one side
From this reading The States had put aside their jealousy, and begun to pull together in enterprises the like of which had never been known.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading But soon we were to find ourselves in the first great battle of peace, one of those of which the iron-master had spoken.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading We were laying iron rails across the deserts, and would soon be scaling the Rockies with them.
for the reason that
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The States had put aside their jealousy, and begun to pull together in enterprises the like of which had never been known.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The States had put aside their jealousy, and begun to pull together in enterprises the like of which had never been known.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But soon we were to find ourselves in the first great battle of peace, one of those of which the iron-master had spoken.
Cenis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
curvesnounUS /kɜːrvz/
plural of “curve” — the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
dependentadjectiveUS /dɪˈpendənt/
relying on or requiring a person or thing for support, supply, or what is needed
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
desertsnounUS /ˈdezərts/
plural of “desert” — arid land with little or no vegetation
From this reading We were laying iron rails across the deserts, and would soon be scaling the Rockies with them.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
EnginesnounUS /ˈendʒənz/
plural of “engine” — motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
enterprisesnounUS /ˈentərpraɪzɪz/
plural of “enterprise” — a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness)
From this reading The States had put aside their jealousy, and begun to pull together in enterprises the like of which had never been known.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading But soon we were to find ourselves in the first great battle of peace, one of those of which the iron-master had spoken.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading But soon we were to find ourselves in the first great battle of peace, one of those of which the iron-master had spoken.
forty-ton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading But soon we were to find ourselves in the first great battle of peace, one of those of which the iron-master had spoken.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
haulingnounUS /ˈhɔːlɪŋ/
the activity of transporting goods by truck
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading We were laying iron rails across the deserts, and would soon be scaling the Rockies with them.
iron-master
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But soon we were to find ourselves in the first great battle of peace, one of those of which the iron-master had spoken.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
jealousynounUS /ˈdʒeləsi/
a feeling of jealous envy (especially of a rival)
From this reading The States had put aside their jealousy, and begun to pull together in enterprises the like of which had never been known.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading The States had put aside their jealousy, and begun to pull together in enterprises the like of which had never been known.
the production of eggs (especially in birds)
From this reading We were laying iron rails across the deserts, and would soon be scaling the Rockies with them.
a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The States had put aside their jealousy, and begun to pull together in enterprises the like of which had never been known.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
McCarthynounUS /məˈkɑːrθi/
United States satirical novelist and literary critic (1912-1989)
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
Mont
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading The States had put aside their jealousy, and begun to pull together in enterprises the like of which had never been known.
not any; not one
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But soon we were to find ourselves in the first great battle of peace, one of those of which the iron-master had spoken.
used when we are both doing the action and receiving it
From this reading But soon we were to find ourselves in the first great battle of peace, one of those of which the iron-master had spoken.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading But soon we were to find ourselves in the first great battle of peace, one of those of which the iron-master had spoken.
cause to move by pulling
From this reading The States had put aside their jealousy, and begun to pull together in enterprises the like of which had never been known.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The States had put aside their jealousy, and begun to pull together in enterprises the like of which had never been known.
railsnounUS /reɪlz/
a bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can roll
From this reading We were laying iron rails across the deserts, and would soon be scaling the Rockies with them.
RockiesnounUS /ˈrɑːkiz/
the chief mountain range of western North America; extends from British Columbia to northern New Mexico; forms the continental divide
From this reading We were laying iron rails across the deserts, and would soon be scaling the Rockies with them.
scalingnounUS /ˈskeɪlɪŋ/
the act of arranging in a graduated series
From this reading We were laying iron rails across the deserts, and would soon be scaling the Rockies with them.
Semmering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
in the near future
From this reading But soon we were to find ourselves in the first great battle of peace, one of those of which the iron-master had spoken.
an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading But soon we were to find ourselves in the first great battle of peace, one of those of which the iron-master had spoken.
plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading The States had put aside their jealousy, and begun to pull together in enterprises the like of which had never been known.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The States had put aside their jealousy, and begun to pull together in enterprises the like of which had never been known.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading We were laying iron rails across the deserts, and would soon be scaling the Rockies with them.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But soon we were to find ourselves in the first great battle of peace, one of those of which the iron-master had spoken.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading The States had put aside their jealousy, and begun to pull together in enterprises the like of which had never been known.
create by training and teaching
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading Engines had climbed the Alps and swung in little curves, hauling a forty-ton train over Mont Cenis and the Semmering at twelve miles an hour.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But soon we were to find ourselves in the first great battle of peace, one of those of which the iron-master had spoken.
which person or people
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
in the company of; together with
From this reading We were laying iron rails across the deserts, and would soon be scaling the Rockies with them.
made or consisting of (entirely or in part) or employing wood
From this reading HE end of the war was come, and McCarthy and I felt a sense of shame and sorrow that we had had no part in it--he, because of his wooden leg; and I, because of those who were dependent upon me.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading We were laying iron rails across the deserts, and would soon be scaling the Rockies with them.
