used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
the state of being absent
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
ALCANDO'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
availableadjectiveUS /əˈveɪləbəl/
obtainable or accessible and ready for use or service
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It was necessary to get the dirt away so they could pass on their voyage.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
BlakenounUS /bleɪk/
visionary British poet and painter (1757-1827)
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
blockedadjectiveUS /blɑːkt/
closed to traffic
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
CanalnounUS /kəˈnæl/
(astronomy) an indistinct surface feature of Mars once thought to be a system of channels; they are now believed to be an optical illusion
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
a person who is in charge
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was necessary to get the dirt away so they could pass on their voyage.
Culebranoun
a small island off the coast of Puerto Rico with miles of beautiful beaches
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
dirtnounUS /dɜːrt/
the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock
From this reading It was necessary to get the dirt away so they could pass on their voyage.
dredgesnounUS /ˈdredʒəz/
plural of “dredge” — a power shovel to remove material from a channel or riverbed
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
engineernounUS /ˈendʒəˈnɪr/
a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
flexibleadjectiveUS /ˈfleksəbəl/
capable of being changed
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
formallyadverbUS /ˈfɔːrməli/
with official authorization
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading It was necessary to get the dirt away so they could pass on their voyage.
GoethalsnounUS /ˈɡoʊθəlz/
United States army officer and engineer who supervised the construction of the Panama Canal (1858-1928)
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
hydraulicadjectiveUS /haɪˈdrɔːlɪk/
moved or operated or effected by liquid (water or oil)
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
engage in
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
a form of address for a man
From this reading MR.
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
absolutely essential
From this reading It was necessary to get the dirt away so they could pass on their voyage.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was necessary to get the dirt away so they could pass on their voyage.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
having a systematic arrangement; especially having elements succeeding in order according to rule
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
go across or through
From this reading It was necessary to get the dirt away so they could pass on their voyage.
plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
pipesnounUS /paɪps/
plural of “pipe” — a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
pumpsnounUS /pʌmps/
plural of “pump” — a mechanical device that moves fluid or gas by pressure or suction
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
removalnounUS /rɪˈmuːvəl/
the act of removing
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
shovelsnounUS /ˈʃʌvəlz/
plural of “shovel” — a hand tool for lifting loose material; consists of a curved container or scoop and a handle
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
slidverbUS /slɪd/
inflected form of “slide” — move obliquely or sideways, usually in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
slidenounUS /slaɪd/
a small flat rectangular piece of glass on which specimens can be mounted for microscopic study
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was necessary to get the dirt away so they could pass on their voyage.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
sprayingnounUS /ˈspreɪɪŋ/
the dispersion of fungicides or insecticides or fertilizer on growing crops (often from a low-flying aircraft)
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
steamverbUS /stiːm/
travel by means of steam power
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
suckedverbUS /sʌkt/
past form of “suck” — draw into the mouth by creating a practical vacuum in the mouth
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was necessary to get the dirt away so they could pass on their voyage.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was necessary to get the dirt away so they could pass on their voyage.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
tripsnounUS /trɪps/
plural of “trip” — a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
vesselsnounUS /ˈvesəlz/
plural of “vessel” — a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
an act of traveling by water
From this reading It was necessary to get the dirt away so they could pass on their voyage.
a heavy grey-white metallic element; the pure form is used mainly in electrical applications; it is found in several ores including wolframite and scheelite
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was necessary to get the dirt away so they could pass on their voyage.
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 ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading ALCANDO'S ABSENCE Blake spent a week at Culebra Cut, making pictures of the removal of the great mass of earth that had slid into the water.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
in the company of; together with
From this reading So with dredges, with steam shovels, and hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flexible pipes mud and water, spraying it off to one side, the work went on.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The chief engineer, General George W. Goethals, had ordered every available man and machine to the work, for though the Canal had not been formally opened, many vessels had started to make trips through it, and some of them had been blocked by the slide.
