Chapter III · Chapter 3

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

in the past

From this reading That was a great many years ago.

(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 And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

any person at all

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

for the reason that

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

next to; at the side of

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading And in that city was a wharf where great ships came from far countries.

plural of “captain” — an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

plural of “country” — a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading And in that city was a wharf where great ships came from far countries.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading And in that city was a wharf where great ships came from far countries.

plural of “flagstone” — stratified stone that splits into pieces suitable as paving stones

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading And in that city was a wharf where great ships came from far countries.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading And in that city was a wharf where great ships came from far countries.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading And in that city was a wharf where great ships came from far countries.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

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 And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

the force of workers available

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

on one occasion

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

plural of “sailor” — any member of a ship's crew

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

plural of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight

From this reading And in that city was a wharf where great ships came from far countries.

walk consisting of a paved area for pedestrians; usually beside a street or roadway

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

having a sharp inclination

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

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 THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

in or at that place or location

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

precisely as stated

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

desired or wished for or sought

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading And a narrow road led down a very steep hill to that wharf and anybody that wanted to go to the wharf had to go down the steep hill on the narrow road, for there wasn't any other way.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats

From this reading And in that city was a wharf where great ships came from far countries.

in or at the place that

From this reading And in that city was a wharf where great ships came from far countries.

which person or people

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading THE CHRISTMAS STORY Once upon a time there was a wide river that ran into the ocean, and beside it was a little city.

in the company of; together with

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

Damaged or thinned by continuous use.

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.

a late time of life

From this reading And because ships had come there for a great many years and all the sailors and all the captains and all the men who had business with the ships had to go on that narrow road, the flagstones that made the sidewalk were much worn.