used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The boys got around Jack after dinner, and asked him about that bit of engineering.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The boys got around Jack after dinner, and asked him about that bit of engineering.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The boys got around Jack after dinner, and asked him about that bit of engineering.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Get me a piece of shingle, or any thin strip of wood.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The boys got around Jack after dinner, and asked him about that bit of engineering.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading The boys got around Jack after dinner, and asked him about that bit of engineering.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading JACK'S "BIT OF ENGINEERING."
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The boys got around Jack after dinner, and asked him about that bit of engineering.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading The boys got around Jack after dinner, and asked him about that bit of engineering.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
ENGINEERINGnounUS /ˈendʒəˈnɪrɪŋ/
the practical application of technical and scientific knowledge to commerce or industry
From this reading JACK'S "BIT OF ENGINEERING."
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Get me a piece of shingle, or any thin strip of wood.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The boys got around Jack after dinner, and asked him about that bit of engineering.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
not accessible to view
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The boys got around Jack after dinner, and asked him about that bit of engineering.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
interveningadjectiveUS /ˌɪntərˈviːnɪŋ/
occurring or falling between events or points in time
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
a small worthless amount
From this reading The boys got around Jack after dinner, and asked him about that bit of engineering.
JACK'SnounUS /dʒæks/
possessive form of “jack” — a small worthless amount
From this reading JACK'S "BIT OF ENGINEERING."
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
engage in
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Get me a piece of shingle, or any thin strip of wood.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading JACK'S "BIT OF ENGINEERING."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Get me a piece of shingle, or any thin strip of wood.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
pailnounUS /peɪl/
a roughly cylindrical vessel that is open at the top
From this reading And I shall want a pail of water."
a separate part of a whole
From this reading Get me a piece of shingle, or any thin strip of wood.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
ridgenounUS /rɪdʒ/
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading And I shall want a pail of water."
shinglenounUS /ˈʃɪŋɡəl/
building material used as siding or roofing
From this reading Get me a piece of shingle, or any thin strip of wood.
the season of growth
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
having a supporting base
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
stripverbUS /strɪp/
take away possessions from someone
From this reading Get me a piece of shingle, or any thin strip of wood.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The boys got around Jack after dinner, and asked him about that bit of engineering.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The boys got around Jack after dinner, and asked him about that bit of engineering.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading Get me a piece of shingle, or any thin strip of wood.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading And I shall want a pail of water."
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 And I shall want a pail of water."
water-level
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "In the first place," said Jack, standing outside the door, and looking over toward the spring, hidden by intervening bushes on a ridge, "we must have a water-level, and I think I can make one.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading Get me a piece of shingle, or any thin strip of wood.
