used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
(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 The downpour never stopped all day.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading We fell back on reading, but even this did not seem to be very satisfactory.
banjonounUS /ˈbændʒoʊ/
a stringed instrument of the guitar family that has long neck and circular body
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading We fell back on reading, but even this did not seem to be very satisfactory.
the act of burning something
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
provide with a covering or cause to be covered
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The downpour never stopped all day.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading We fell back on reading, but even this did not seem to be very satisfactory.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
the quality of being unlike or dissimilar
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading So we finally settled down to watching the rain and listening to the wind.
downpournounUS /ˈdaʊnpɔːr/
a heavy rain
From this reading The downpour never stopped all day.
plural of “effort” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
to the same degree (often followed by “as”)
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
divisible by two
From this reading We fell back on reading, but even this did not seem to be very satisfactory.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading We fell back on reading, but even this did not seem to be very satisfactory.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading So we finally settled down to watching the rain and listening to the wind.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
Jack'snounUS /dʒæks/
possessive form of “jack” — a small worthless amount
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
the act of departing
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
letter-writing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading So we finally settled down to watching the rain and listening to the wind.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
engage in
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading The downpour never stopped all day.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading We fell back on reading, but even this did not seem to be very satisfactory.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
oil-stove
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading We fell back on reading, but even this did not seem to be very satisfactory.
a writing implement with a point from which ink flows
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
established beyond doubt
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading So we finally settled down to watching the rain and listening to the wind.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading We fell back on reading, but even this did not seem to be very satisfactory.
satisfactoryadjectiveUS /ˌsætəˈsfæktri/
giving satisfaction
From this reading We fell back on reading, but even this did not seem to be very satisfactory.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading We fell back on reading, but even this did not seem to be very satisfactory.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading So we finally settled down to watching the rain and listening to the wind.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So we finally settled down to watching the rain and listening to the wind.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading The downpour never stopped all day.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The downpour never stopped all day.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading We fell back on reading, but even this did not seem to be very satisfactory.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
unsuccessfuladjectiveUS /ˌʌnsəkˈsesfəl/
not successful; having failed or having an unfavorable outcome
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
precisely as stated
From this reading We fell back on reading, but even this did not seem to be very satisfactory.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading So we finally settled down to watching the rain and listening to the wind.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We tried letter-writing, but it was too cold to hold the pen; and Jack's efforts at playing the banjo proved equally unsuccessful.
at the time that
From this reading When evening came we shut down the front of the cover and tried to warm up the cabin a little by leaving the oil-stove burning, but it didn't seem to make much difference.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading So we finally settled down to watching the rain and listening to the wind.
