used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
activitynounUS /ækˈtɪvəti/
any specific behavior
From this reading The railroad skirted its foot and the sudden activity on the slope was in full view.
(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 All at once the stump-dotted, rocky hillside became clamorous and animated.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading All at once the stump-dotted, rocky hillside became clamorous and animated.
animatedadjectiveUS /ˈænəmeɪtɪd/
having life or vigor or spirit
From this reading All at once the stump-dotted, rocky hillside became clamorous and animated.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading All at once the stump-dotted, rocky hillside became clamorous and animated.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading All at once the stump-dotted, rocky hillside became clamorous and animated.
blatting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
burrowsnounUS /ˈbɜːroʊz/
plural of “burrow” — a hole made by an animal, usually for shelter
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
clamorousadjective
conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry
From this reading All at once the stump-dotted, rocky hillside became clamorous and animated.
plural of “cry” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
embankmentnounUS /emˈbæŋkmənt/
a long artificial mound of stone or earth; built to hold back water or to support a road or as protection
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
fodder-rack
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The railroad skirted its foot and the sudden activity on the slope was in full view.
freshly-heaped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The railroad skirted its foot and the sudden activity on the slope was in full view.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
hillsidenounUS /ˈhɪlsaɪd/
the side or slope of a hill
From this reading All at once the stump-dotted, rocky hillside became clamorous and animated.
hutsnounUS /hʌts/
plural of “hut” — temporary military shelter
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
instrumentsnounUS /ˈɪnstrəmənts/
plural of “instrument” — a device that requires skill for proper use
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The railroad skirted its foot and the sudden activity on the slope was in full view.
lambsnounUS /læmz/
plural of “lamb” — young sheep
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
lugged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
the force of workers available
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
on one occasion
From this reading All at once the stump-dotted, rocky hillside became clamorous and animated.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
ParkernounUS /ˈpɑːrkər/
United States saxophonist and leader of the bop style of jazz (1920-1955)
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
poppingnounUS /ˈpɑːpɪŋ/
a sharp explosive sound as from a gunshot or drawing a cork
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
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 Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
rockyadjectiveUS /ˈrɑːki/
abounding in rocks or stones
From this reading All at once the stump-dotted, rocky hillside became clamorous and animated.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
shacksnounUS /ʃæks/
plural of “shack” — small crude shelter used as a dwelling
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
sheathedadjectiveUS /ʃiːðd/
enclosed in a protective covering; sometimes used in combination
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
shoulderingverbUS /ˈʃoʊldərɪŋ/
-ing form of “shoulder” — lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
shrilladjectiveUS /ʃrɪl/
having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
skirtedverbUS /ˈskɜːrtɪd/
past form of “skirt” — avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)
From this reading The railroad skirted its foot and the sudden activity on the slope was in full view.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading The railroad skirted its foot and the sudden activity on the slope was in full view.
sodded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
stump-dotted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All at once the stump-dotted, rocky hillside became clamorous and animated.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading The railroad skirted its foot and the sudden activity on the slope was in full view.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
sunkadjectiveUS /sʌŋk/
doomed to extinction
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
surveyingnounUS /sərˈveɪɪŋ/
the practice of measuring angles and distances on the ground so that they can be accurately plotted on a map
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
tarredverbUS /tɑːrd/
inflected form of “tar” — coat with tar
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading All at once the stump-dotted, rocky hillside became clamorous and animated.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
tracksnounUS /træks/
plural of “track” — a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
transitnounUS /ˈtrænzɪt/
a surveying instrument for measuring horizontal and vertical angles, consisting of a small telescope mounted on a tripod
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Three men, shouldering surveying instruments, stopped in their tracks on the freshly-heaped soil of a new railroad embankment, and gazed up at the hillside.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading The railroad skirted its foot and the sudden activity on the slope was in full view.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The railroad skirted its foot and the sudden activity on the slope was in full view.
which person or people
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
in the company of; together with
From this reading From the little shacks sheathed with tarred paper, from the sodded huts, from burrows sunk into the hillside men suddenly came popping out with shrill cries.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Your lambs seem to be blatting around the fodder-rack once more, Parker,” observed the man who lugged the transit.
