used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For several days, four of the master masons were engaged in carefully cutting into the center of each of the squares of granite a bowl-shaped cavity.
a person or thing that is a resource that helps make something easier or possible to do
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
Blakely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
bouldersnounUS /ˈboʊldərz/
plural of “boulder” — a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
bowl-shapedadjective
having a concave shape with an open top like a bowl
From this reading For several days, four of the master masons were engaged in carefully cutting into the center of each of the squares of granite a bowl-shaped cavity.
busiedverbUS /ˈbɪzid/
inflected form of “busy” — keep busy with
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
Cameron
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading For several days, four of the master masons were engaged in carefully cutting into the center of each of the squares of granite a bowl-shaped cavity.
cavitynounUS /ˈkævəti/
a sizeable hole (usually in the ground)
From this reading For several days, four of the master masons were engaged in carefully cutting into the center of each of the squares of granite a bowl-shaped cavity.
ceaseverbUS /siːs/
put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
centernounUS /ˈsɛn.tər/
The middle point or core of an area.
From this reading For several days, four of the master masons were engaged in carefully cutting into the center of each of the squares of granite a bowl-shaped cavity.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
craneverbUS /kreɪn/
stretch (the neck) so as to see better
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film
From this reading For several days, four of the master masons were engaged in carefully cutting into the center of each of the squares of granite a bowl-shaped cavity.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading For several days, four of the master masons were engaged in carefully cutting into the center of each of the squares of granite a bowl-shaped cavity.
derricknounUS /ˈderɪk/
a framework erected over an oil well to allow drill tubes to be raised and lowered
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
command with authority
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading For several days, four of the master masons were engaged in carefully cutting into the center of each of the squares of granite a bowl-shaped cavity.
having your services engaged for; or having a job especially one that pays wages or a salary
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
employernounUS /emˈplɔɪər/
a person or firm that employs workers
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading For several days, four of the master masons were engaged in carefully cutting into the center of each of the squares of granite a bowl-shaped cavity.
excavationsnounUS /ˌekskəˈveɪʃənz/
plural of “excavation” — the act of digging
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
foundationnounUS /faʊnˈdeɪʃən/
the basis on which something is grounded
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
granitenounUS /ˈɡrænət/
plutonic igneous rock having visibly crystalline texture; generally composed of feldspar and mica and quartz
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
hauledverbUS /hɔːld/
past form of “haul” — draw slowly or heavily
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
hollowsnounUS /ˈhɑːloʊz/
plural of “hollow” — a cavity or space in something
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
inspectverbUS /ˌɪnˈspekt/
look over carefully
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading For several days, four of the master masons were engaged in carefully cutting into the center of each of the squares of granite a bowl-shaped cavity.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
and nothing more
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
loweredadjectiveUS /ˈloʊərd/
below the surround or below the normal position
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
masonsnounUS /ˈmeɪsənz/
plural of “mason” — American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading For several days, four of the master masons were engaged in carefully cutting into the center of each of the squares of granite a bowl-shaped cavity.
mortarnounUS /ˈmɔːrtər/
a muzzle-loading high-angle gun with a short barrel that fires shells at high elevations for a short range
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
of an obscure nature
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
neighborsnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/
plural of “neighbor” — a person who lives (or is located) near another
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
Nole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
personallyadverbUS /ˈpɜːrsənəli/
as yourself
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
railroadnounUS /ˈreɪlroʊd/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
readinessnounUS /ˈredinəs/
the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action)
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
the context and environment in which something is set
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading For several days, four of the master masons were engaged in carefully cutting into the center of each of the squares of granite a bowl-shaped cavity.
in the near future
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
squaresnounUS /skwerz/
plural of “square” — (geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
under normal conditions
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading For several days, four of the master masons were engaged in carefully cutting into the center of each of the squares of granite a bowl-shaped cavity.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
which person or people
From this reading Cameron, who had usually busied himself in other things which kept him away from The Nole, came frequently now to inspect the mysterious hollows being made in the granite boulders.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
in the company of; together with
From this reading _The Mystery of the Corner Stones._ Blakely, with the neighbors whom he employed, had completed the excavations for the foundation walls and hauled the stone and mortar in readiness for the masons.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Soon the work of the masons was completed; then by the aid of crane and derrick, they lowered into position the corner stones just as the hour arrived for labor to cease.
workmennounUS /ˈwɜːrkmɪn/
plural of “workman” — an employee who performs manual or industrial labor
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Four squares of granite had been drawn to The Nole from the railroad station, and it was whispered among the workmen that their employer would personally direct the setting of the corner stones.
