used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But Tom contented himself with marveling at the ease with which the beavers pulled the boat.
English botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific Ocean (1743-1820)
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
BeavernounUS /ˈbiːvər/
the soft brown fur of the beaver
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
beaversnounUS /ˈbiːvərz/
plural of “beaver” — the soft brown fur of the beaver
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading But Tom contented himself with marveling at the ease with which the beavers pulled the boat.
a youthful male person
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
busilyadverbUS /ˈbɪzəli/
in a busy manner
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Tom contented himself with marveling at the ease with which the beavers pulled the boat.
changingadjectiveUS /ˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/
marked by continuous change or effective action
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
consumedverbUS /kənˈsuːmd/
past form of “consume” — eat up completely, as with great appetite
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
contentedadjectiveUS /kənˈtentəd/
satisfied or showing satisfaction with things as they are
From this reading But Tom contented himself with marveling at the ease with which the beavers pulled the boat.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
downstreamadverbUS /ˈdaʊnˈstriːm/
away from the source or with the current
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
move gently or carefully
From this reading But Tom contented himself with marveling at the ease with which the beavers pulled the boat.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
fondleverbUS /ˈfɔːndəl/
touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
forbiddingadjectiveUS /fərˈbɪdɪŋ/
harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
happy-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
heart'snounUS /hɑːrts/
possessive form of “heart” — the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading But Tom contented himself with marveling at the ease with which the beavers pulled the boat.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
and nothing more
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
jutted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
longedverbUS /lɔːŋd/
past form of “long” — desire strongly or persistently
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
loomedverbUS /luːmd/
past form of “loom” — come into view indistinctly, often threateningly
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
marvelingverbUS /ˈmɑːrvəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “marvel” — be amazed at
From this reading But Tom contented himself with marveling at the ease with which the beavers pulled the boat.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
and nothing more
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
paddlingverbUS /ˈpædəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “paddle” — propel with a paddle
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
peaksnounUS /piːks/
plural of “peak” — the most extreme possible amount or value
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading But Tom contented himself with marveling at the ease with which the beavers pulled the boat.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
only a very short time before
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
scenerynounUS /ˈsiːnəri/
the painted structures of a stage set that are intended to suggest a particular locale
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
spedverbUS /sped/
inflected form of “speed” — move hurridly
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
steepernounUS /ˈstiːpər/
a vessel (usually a pot or vat) used for steeping
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
in a swift manner
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
swimverbUS /swɪm/
travel through water
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
male cat
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
travelersnounUS /ˈtrævələrz/
plural of “traveler” — a person who changes location
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
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 banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Although the journey consumed more than an hour it did not seem nearly that long to the travelers who were kept busy watching the changing scenery as the boat sped swiftly downstream.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But Tom contented himself with marveling at the ease with which the beavers pulled the boat.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The banks of the river grew much steeper and they could see scarcely any trees, while grey rocks jutted from the earth and forbidding mountain peaks loomed only a few miles distant.
which person or people
From this reading In Beaver Land Tom, who was especially fond of animals, longed to hold one of the little beavers and fondle it to his heart's content.
in the company of; together with
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading And what fun it would be, the boy thought, just to jump into the stream and swim along with the busily paddling happy-looking little animals.
