used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
advertisedadjectiveUS /ˈædvərtaɪzd/
called to public attention
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
crestedadjectiveUS /ˈkrestɪd/
bearing an heraldic device
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
one or the other of two
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
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 The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
forest-mould
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
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 The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
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 But no train had run upon it for many years.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
not any; not one
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
sporadically and infrequently
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
on one occasion
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
railnounUS /reɪl/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
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 The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
runwaynounUS /ˈrʌnweɪ/
a bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can roll
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
rustyadjectiveUS /ˈrʌsti/
covered with or consisting of rust
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
the display of a motion picture
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
slopesnounUS /sloʊps/
plural of “slope” — an elevated geological formation
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
not in physical motion
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
swelledadjectiveUS /sweld/
feeling self-importance
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
tiesnounUS /taɪz/
plural of “tie” — neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
create by training and teaching
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
wild-animal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
a late time of life
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
