adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
accomplishedadjectiveUS /əˈkɑːmplɪʃt/
highly skilled
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(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 They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
angrilyadverbUS /ˈæŋɡrəli/
with anger
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
besottedadjectiveUS /bɪˈsɔːtɪd/
very drunk
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
BillynounUS /ˈbɪli/
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
blanketsnounUS /ˈblæŋkəts/
plural of “blanket” — bedding that keeps a person warm in bed
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
carryingverbUS /ˈkæriɪŋ/
-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
chancenounUS /tʃæns/
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
conversationnounUS /ˌkɑːnvərˈseɪʃən/
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
countynounUS /ˈkaʊnti/
(United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
daysnounUS /deɪz/
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
districtnounUS /ˈdɪstrɪkt/
a region marked off for administrative or other purposes
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
easyadjectiveUS /ˈiːzi/
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
encounteredverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntərd/
past form of “encounter” — come together
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
farmingnounUS /ˈfɑːrmɪŋ/
the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
feebleadjectiveUS /ˈfiːbəl/
pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
fortyadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrti/
being ten more than thirty
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
garrulousadjectiveUS /ˈɡerələs/
full of trivial conversation
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
generallyadverbUS /ˈdʒenərəli/
usually; as a rule
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
gleanverbUS /ɡliːn/
gather, as of natural products
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
hiredadjectiveUS /ˈhaɪərd/
having services engaged for a fee
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
jobsnounUS /dʒɑːbz/
plural of “job” — the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
Jose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
knewverbUS /nuː/
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
labornounUS /ˈleɪbər/
a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
learnedadjectiveUS /lɜːrnd/
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
linemennounUS /ˈlaɪnmən/
the football players who line up on the line of scrimmage
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
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 They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
mennounUS /men/
the force of workers available
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
mentionedverbUS /ˈmenʃənd/
past form of “mention” — make reference to
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
metverbUS /met/
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
milesnounUS /maɪlz/
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
mostlyadverbUS /ˈmoʊstli/
in large part; mainly or chiefly
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
northnounUS /nɔːrθ/
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
NumbersnounUS /ˈnʌmbərz/
the fourth book of the Old Testament; contains a record of the number of Israelites who followed Moses out of Egypt
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
OaklandnounUS /ˈoʊklənd/
a city in western California on San Francisco Bay opposite San Francisco; primarily and industrial urban center
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
obligingadjectiveUS /əˈblaɪdʒɪŋ/
showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
offadverbUS /ɔːf/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
OnepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
opportunitiesnounUS /ˌɑːpərˈtuːnətiz/
plural of “opportunity” — a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
passingnounUS /ˈpæsɪŋ/
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
placesnounUS /ˈpleɪsəz/
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
PortuguesenounUS /ˈpɔːrtʃəɡiːz/
the Romance language spoken in Portugal and Brazil
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/
with speed
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
rarelyadverbUS /ˈrerli/
not often
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
roadnounUS /roʊd/
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
rollsnounUS /roʊlz/
plural of “roll” — rotary motion of an object around its own axis
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
San
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
SaxonnounUS /ˈsæksən/
a member of a Germanic people who conquered England and merged with the Angles and Jutes to become Anglo-Saxons; dominant in England until the Norman Conquest
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
small-farmer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
southnounUS /saʊθ/
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
talksnounUS /tɔːks/
a discussion intended to produce an agreement
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
thingnounUS /θɪŋ/
a special situation
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
threenounUS /θriː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It is forty miles from Oakland to San Jose, and Saxon and Billy accomplished it in three easy days.
trampsnounUS /træmpz/
plural of “tramp” — a vagrant
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
travelingnounUS /ˈtrævəlɪŋ/
the act of going from one place to another
From this reading Numbers of tramps, carrying rolls of blankets, were met, traveling both north and south on the county road; and from talks with them Saxon quickly learned that they knew little or nothing about farming.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
waynounUS /weɪ/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
wayfarers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading One thing she did glean from them, and that was that the district she and Billy were passing through was “small-farmer” country in which labor was rarely hired, and that when it was it generally was Portuguese.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading No more obliging and angrily garrulous linemen were encountered, and few were the opportunities for conversation with chance wayfarers.
workverbUS /wɜːrk/
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading They were mostly old men, feeble or besotted, and all they knew was work--where jobs might be good, where jobs had been good; but the places they mentioned were always a long way off.
