used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
assistantnounUS /əˈsɪstənt/
a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
cindernounUS /ˈsɪndər/
a fragment of incombustible matter left after a wood or coal or charcoal fire
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
despiteprepositionUS /dɪˈspaɪt/
although something is true; in spite of
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
plural of “effort” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
engineernounUS /ˈendʒəˈnɪr/
a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Then his feet sank in.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading In the meantime the haulers on the other line had forgotten to pull the laborer nearer to safety.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the meantime the haulers on the other line had forgotten to pull the laborer nearer to safety.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
haulersnounUS /ˈhɔːlərz/
plural of “hauler” — a haulage contractor
From this reading In the meantime the haulers on the other line had forgotten to pull the laborer nearer to safety.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Soon he stumbled.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Then his feet sank in.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then his feet sank in.
laborernounUS /ˈleɪbərər/
someone who works with their hands; someone engaged in manual labor
From this reading In the meantime the haulers on the other line had forgotten to pull the laborer nearer to safety.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading In the meantime the haulers on the other line had forgotten to pull the laborer nearer to safety.
the time between one event, process, or period and another
From this reading In the meantime the haulers on the other line had forgotten to pull the laborer nearer to safety.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading In the meantime the haulers on the other line had forgotten to pull the laborer nearer to safety.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading In the meantime the haulers on the other line had forgotten to pull the laborer nearer to safety.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
cause to move by pulling
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions
From this reading In the meantime the haulers on the other line had forgotten to pull the laborer nearer to safety.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading Then his feet sank in.
settlingnounUS /ˈsetəlɪŋ/
a gradual sinking to a lower level
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
in the near future
From this reading Soon he stumbled.
stumbledverbUS /ˈstʌmbəld/
past form of “stumble” — walk unsteadily
From this reading Soon he stumbled.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then his feet sank in.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
male cat
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
(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 For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
at the time that
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Then there came a time, within ten feet of Tom, when Harry felt his feet settling in the sand despite his efforts to pull himself out.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading For the first few yards the assistant engineer ran almost as well as though on a cinder track.
