used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A soil cannot exist without these two things any more than we can.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading One is the need for water; the other, for air.
(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 "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading A soil cannot exist without these two things any more than we can.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "That trouble always comes from a lack of one or the other is quite sufficient to prove to us that these are essential.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Without these, or poorly supplied with them, a soil is as if it were half-starved.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading A soil cannot exist without these two things any more than we can.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A soil cannot exist without these two things any more than we can.
clay's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading "That trouble always comes from a lack of one or the other is quite sufficient to prove to us that these are essential.
essentialadjectiveUS /eˈsenʃəl/
absolutely necessary; vitally necessary
From this reading "That trouble always comes from a lack of one or the other is quite sufficient to prove to us that these are essential.
existverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪst/
have an existence, be extant
From this reading A soil cannot exist without these two things any more than we can.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading One is the need for water; the other, for air.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "That trouble always comes from a lack of one or the other is quite sufficient to prove to us that these are essential.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
an established custom
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
half-starved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Without these, or poorly supplied with them, a soil is as if it were half-starved.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
horridadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːrəd/
exceedingly bad
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Without these, or poorly supplied with them, a soil is as if it were half-starved.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One is the need for water; the other, for air.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Without these, or poorly supplied with them, a soil is as if it were half-starved.
the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable
From this reading "That trouble always comes from a lack of one or the other is quite sufficient to prove to us that these are essential.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading A soil cannot exist without these two things any more than we can.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading One is the need for water; the other, for air.
in such a manner as could not be otherwise
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One is the need for water; the other, for air.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Without these, or poorly supplied with them, a soil is as if it were half-starved.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading One is the need for water; the other, for air.
poorlyadverbUS /ˈpuːrli/
(“ill” is often used as a combining form) in a poor or improper or unsatisfactory manner; not well
From this reading Without these, or poorly supplied with them, a soil is as if it were half-starved.
be shown or be found to be
From this reading "That trouble always comes from a lack of one or the other is quite sufficient to prove to us that these are essential.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading "That trouble always comes from a lack of one or the other is quite sufficient to prove to us that these are essential.
the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading A soil cannot exist without these two things any more than we can.
soilsnounUS /sɔɪlz/
plural of “soil” — the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
express in speech
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
squeezingnounUS /ˈskwiːzɪŋ/
the act of gripping and pressing firmly
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant
From this reading "That trouble always comes from a lack of one or the other is quite sufficient to prove to us that these are essential.
suppliedverbUS /səˈplaɪd/
inflected form of “supply” — give something useful or necessary to
From this reading Without these, or poorly supplied with them, a soil is as if it were half-starved.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading A soil cannot exist without these two things any more than we can.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "That trouble always comes from a lack of one or the other is quite sufficient to prove to us that these are essential.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Without these, or poorly supplied with them, a soil is as if it were half-starved.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading A soil cannot exist without these two things any more than we can.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading A soil cannot exist without these two things any more than we can.
tightadjectiveUS /taɪt/
closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
a source of difficulty
From this reading "That trouble always comes from a lack of one or the other is quite sufficient to prove to us that these are essential.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "That trouble always comes from a lack of one or the other is quite sufficient to prove to us that these are essential.
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 One is the need for water; the other, for air.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading A soil cannot exist without these two things any more than we can.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Without these, or poorly supplied with them, a soil is as if it were half-starved.
at the time that
From this reading "When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Without these, or poorly supplied with them, a soil is as if it were half-starved.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading A soil cannot exist without these two things any more than we can.
