used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE BEGINNING AND END OF A VOYAGE.
alluvialadjectiveUS /ˌæˈluːviəl/
of or relating to alluvium
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE BEGINNING AND END OF A VOYAGE.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading THE BEGINNING AND END OF A VOYAGE.
bowlnounUS /boʊl/
a round vessel that is open at the top; used chiefly for holding food or liquids
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The first care of the boys the next morning was to dig their well.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading The first care of the boys the next morning was to dig their well.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
comparativelyadverbUS /kəmˈperətɪvli/
in a relative manner; by comparison to something else
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
digverbUS /dɪɡ/
turn up, loosen, or remove earth
From this reading The first care of the boys the next morning was to dig their well.
dipverbUS /dɪp/
immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
dugnounUS /dʌɡ/
an udder or breast or teat
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading THE BEGINNING AND END OF A VOYAGE.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The first care of the boys the next morning was to dig their well.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
Havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
temporary military shelter
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The first care of the boys the next morning was to dig their well.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The first care of the boys the next morning was to dig their well.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE BEGINNING AND END OF A VOYAGE.
and nothing more
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
perpendicularnounUS /ˌpɜːrpənˈdɪkjələr/
a straight line at right angles to another line
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BEGINNING AND END OF A VOYAGE.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The first care of the boys the next morning was to dig their well.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The first care of the boys the next morning was to dig their well.
triflingnounUS /ˈtraɪflɪŋ/
the deliberate act of delaying and playing instead of working
From this reading This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
an act of traveling by water
From this reading THE BEGINNING AND END OF A VOYAGE.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The first care of the boys the next morning was to dig their well.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading The first care of the boys the next morning was to dig their well.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island.
