used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
bouldersnounUS /ˈboʊldərz/
plural of “boulder” — a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
a state at a particular time
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
damagenounUS /ˈdæmədʒ/
the occurrence of a change for the worse
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
disgraceverbUS /dɪsˈɡreɪs/
bring shame or dishonor upon
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
dugnounUS /dʌɡ/
an udder or breast or teat
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
an opposing military force
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
foremannounUS /ˈfɔːrmən/
a person who exercises control over workers
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
holesnounUS /hoʊlz/
plural of “hole” — an opening into or through something
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
inspectionnounUS /ˌɪnˈspekʃən/
a formal or official examination
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
instructionsnounUS /ˌɪnˈstrʌkʃənz/
a manual usually accompanying a technical device and explaining how to install or operate it
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
and nothing more
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
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 GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
immediately past
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
the force of workers available
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
mile-posts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
neatlyadverbUS /ˈniːtli/
with neatness
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
information about recent and important events
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
on one occasion
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
and nothing more
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
piledverbUS /paɪld/
past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
something given for victory or superiority in a contest or competition or for winning a lottery
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
righting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
road-bed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
sectionnounUS /ˈsekʃən/
a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical)
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
in the near future
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
TiesnounUS /taɪz/
plural of “tie” — neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
having edges that are jagged from injury
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
create by training and teaching
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
TrojansnounUS /ˈtroʊdʒənz/
plural of “trojan” — a native of ancient Troy
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
unbearableadjectiveUS /ənˈberəbəl/
incapable of being tolerated or endured
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading More than once it seemed that they could not get through in time; but at last the work was done, just as the whistle of the inspection train sounded in the distance.
whitewashedadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪtwɑːʃt/
coated with whitewash
From this reading Ties which had been piled neatly at the side of the right of way had been thrown down, whitewashed boulders around the mile-posts had been torn up, in many places holes had been dug in the road-bed,—in short, the section was in a condition which not only would have lost them the prize, but would have brought unbearable disgrace upon their foreman.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading They had started out in the morning, according to his instructions, for a last run over the section, and soon discovered the work of the enemy.
actively engaged in paid work
From this reading They set to work like Trojans righting the damage, for they knew they had only a few hours, beginning at the western end and working slowly back toward the city.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading GOOD NEWS AND BAD His men were waiting for him, as he knew they would be, and the story was soon told.
