used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The steamboat was a slow one.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading The voyage up the river involved very little of work, and nothing at all of adventure.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The voyage up the river involved very little of work, and nothing at all of adventure.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The voyage up the river involved very little of work, and nothing at all of adventure.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The voyage up the river involved very little of work, and nothing at all of adventure.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
plural of “comrade” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
a state at a particular time
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
cordsnounUS /kɔːrdz/
cotton trousers made of corduroy cloth
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
decksnounUS /deks/
plural of “deck” — any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
apart from; not including
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “IT” There is not much more of this story for me to tell.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
involvedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɑːlvd/
connected by participation or association or use
From this reading The voyage up the river involved very little of work, and nothing at all of adventure.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “IT” There is not much more of this story for me to tell.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “IT” There is not much more of this story for me to tell.
conformity or harmony
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
an intermediate platform in a staircase
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The voyage up the river involved very little of work, and nothing at all of adventure.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
engage in
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “IT” There is not much more of this story for me to tell.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading “IT” There is not much more of this story for me to tell.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
mostlyadverbUS /ˈmoʊstli/
in large part; mainly or chiefly
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading “IT” There is not much more of this story for me to tell.
absolutely essential
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “IT” There is not much more of this story for me to tell.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading The voyage up the river involved very little of work, and nothing at all of adventure.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “IT” There is not much more of this story for me to tell.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The steamboat was a slow one.
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
Phil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
ploddedverbUS /ˈplɑːdɪd/
inflected form of “plod” — walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading The voyage up the river involved very little of work, and nothing at all of adventure.
scrupulouslyadverbUS /ˈskruːpjələsli/
with extreme conscientiousness
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading The steamboat was a slow one.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
steamverbUS /stiːm/
travel by means of steam power
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
steamboatnounUS /ˈstiːmboʊt/
a boat propelled by a steam engine
From this reading The steamboat was a slow one.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading “IT” There is not much more of this story for me to tell.
carry out
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
tasksnounUS /tæsks/
plural of “task” — any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
express in words
From this reading “IT” There is not much more of this story for me to tell.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The voyage up the river involved very little of work, and nothing at all of adventure.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
in or at that place or location
From this reading “IT” There is not much more of this story for me to tell.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “IT” There is not much more of this story for me to tell.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “IT” There is not much more of this story for me to tell.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Phil and his comrades took pride in keeping the decks in most scrupulously clean condition, and doing with earnest care the other tasks--mostly very small ones--which fell to their lot.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The voyage up the river involved very little of work, and nothing at all of adventure.
precisely as stated
From this reading The voyage up the river involved very little of work, and nothing at all of adventure.
an act of traveling by water
From this reading The voyage up the river involved very little of work, and nothing at all of adventure.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The steamboat was a slow one.
at the time that
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading She plodded along, day and night, never landing except when it was necessary to take on fifty cords or so of wood, with which to make steam.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The voyage up the river involved very little of work, and nothing at all of adventure.
