used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The struggle was not an easy one.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
annualadjectiveUS /ˈænjuːəl/
completing its life cycle within a year
From this reading His small farm was sterile, and yielded grudgingly its annual crops.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For years Mr. Nelson had been struggling to provide a comfortable living for his wife and children.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading For years Mr. Nelson had been struggling to provide a comfortable living for his wife and children.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading For years Mr. Nelson had been struggling to provide a comfortable living for his wife and children.
continentnounUS /ˈkɑːntənənt/
one of the large landmasses of the earth
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
cropsnounUS /krɑːps/
plural of “crop” — the yield from plants in a single growing season
From this reading His small farm was sterile, and yielded grudgingly its annual crops.
travel across or pass over
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
earlier in time; previously
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading The struggle was not an easy one.
a social unit living together
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading His small farm was sterile, and yielded grudgingly its annual crops.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
grudginglyadverbUS /ˈɡrʌdʒɪŋli/
in a grudging manner
From this reading His small farm was sterile, and yielded grudgingly its annual crops.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For years Mr. Nelson had been struggling to provide a comfortable living for his wife and children.
HampshirenounUS /ˈhæmpʃər/
a county of southern England on the English Channel
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading TOM'S OLD HOME.
low or inferior in station or quality
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading His small farm was sterile, and yielded grudgingly its annual crops.
the act of departing
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading For years Mr. Nelson had been struggling to provide a comfortable living for his wife and children.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
attach a tag or label to
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
a form of address for a man
From this reading For years Mr. Nelson had been struggling to provide a comfortable living for his wife and children.
NelsonnounUS /ˈnelsən/
English admiral who defeated the French fleets of Napoleon but was mortally wounded at Trafalgar (1758-1805)
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The struggle was not an easy one.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading TOM'S OLD HOME.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The struggle was not an easy one.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
provideverbUS /prəˈvaɪd/
give something useful or necessary to
From this reading For years Mr. Nelson had been struggling to provide a comfortable living for his wife and children.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading His small farm was sterile, and yielded grudgingly its annual crops.
sterileadjectiveUS /ˈsterəl/
incapable of reproducing
From this reading His small farm was sterile, and yielded grudgingly its annual crops.
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading The struggle was not an easy one.
strugglingadjectiveUS /ˈstrʌɡəlɪŋ/
engaged in a struggle to overcome especially poverty or obscurity
From this reading For years Mr. Nelson had been struggling to provide a comfortable living for his wife and children.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For years Mr. Nelson had been struggling to provide a comfortable living for his wife and children.
male cat
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
TOM'SnounUS /tɑːmz/
possessive form of “tom” — male cat
From this reading TOM'S OLD HOME.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The struggle was not an easy one.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading For years Mr. Nelson had been struggling to provide a comfortable living for his wife and children.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Leaving Tom for a time, we will cross the continent, and, a little earlier in point of time, look in upon Mark Nelson and his family at their humble home in New Hampshire.
a late time of life
From this reading For years Mr. Nelson had been struggling to provide a comfortable living for his wife and children.
yieldedverbUS /ˈjiːldɪd/
past form of “yield” — be the cause or source of
From this reading His small farm was sterile, and yielded grudgingly its annual crops.
