adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
AmericanounUS /əˈmerəkə/
North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading Columbus had to do both.
callverbUS /kɔːl/
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
CathaynounUS /kæˈθeɪ/
a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
ColumbusnounUS /kəˈlʌmbəs/
the state capital of Ohio; located in the center of the state; site of Ohio State University
From this reading Columbus had to do both.
discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
dreadfullyadverbUS /ˈdredfəli/
of a dreadful kind
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
findingnounUS /ˈfaɪndɪŋ/
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
getverbUS /ɡet/
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
greateradjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtər/
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Columbus had to do both.
hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
harderadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdər/
comparative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He staid in Spain.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
kingnounUS /kɪŋ/
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
leastadjectiveUS /liːst/
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
MoorsnounUS /mʊrz/
plural of “moor” — one of the Muslim people of north Africa; of mixed Arab and Berber descent; converted to Islam in the 8th century; conqueror of Spain in the 8th century
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/
to a great degree or extent
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
newadjectiveUS /nuː/
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
patiencenounUS /ˈpeɪʃəns/
good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
patientnounUS /ˈpeɪʃənt/
a person who requires medical care
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
persistencenounUS /pərˈsɪstəns/
the property of a continuous and connected period of time
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
queennounUS /kwiːn/
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
SpainnounUS /speɪn/
a parliamentary monarchy in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula; a former colonial power
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
staidadjectiveUS /steɪd/
characterized by dignity and propriety
From this reading He staid in Spain.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
thingnounUS /θɪŋ/
a special situation
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
uncertainadjectiveUS /ənˈsɜːrtən/
lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
waitverbUS /weɪt/
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
warsnounUS /wɔːrz/
plural of “war” — the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
waynounUS /weɪ/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The wars against the Moors were of much greater interest to the king and queen of Spain than was the finding of a new and very uncertain way to get to Cathay.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
wishverbUS /wɪʃ/
hope for; have a wish
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If it had not been for the patience and what we call the persistence of Columbus, America would never have been discovered--at least not in his time.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading When you wish very much to do a certain thing it is dreadfully hard to be patient; it is harder still to have to wait.
