used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading & O. Railroad, comprising, all told, some four thousand miles of track.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
AtlanticnounUS /ətˈlæntɪk/
the 2nd largest ocean; separates North and South America on the west from Europe and Africa on the east
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
citiesnounUS /ˈsɪtiz/
plural of “city” — a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
comprisingverbUS /kəmˈpraɪzɪŋ/
-ing form of “comprise” — be composed of
From this reading & O. Railroad, comprising, all told, some four thousand miles of track.
constructedverbUS /kənˈstrʌktəd/
past form of “construct” — make by combining materials and parts
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
CzarnounUS /zɑːr/
a male monarch or emperor (especially of Russia prior to 1917)
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
easiestadjectiveUS /ˈiːziəst/
superlative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
engineersnounUS /ˈendʒəˈnɪrz/
plural of “engineer” — a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading & O. Railroad, comprising, all told, some four thousand miles of track.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
gradesnounUS /ɡreɪdz/
plural of “grade” — a body of students who are taught together
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
indicateverbUS /ˈɪndəkeɪt/
be a signal for or a symptom of
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
plural of “lie” — a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
lowestadjectiveUS /ˈloʊəst/
lowest in rank or importance
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
mapverbUS /mæp/
make a map of; show or establish the features of details of
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading & O. Railroad, comprising, all told, some four thousand miles of track.
ministersnounUS /ˈmɪnəstərz/
plural of “minister” — a person authorized to conduct religious worship
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
MississippinounUS /ˌmɪsɪˈsɪpi/
a major North American river and the chief river of the United States; rises in northern Minnesota and flows southward into the Gulf of Mexico
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
MoscownounUS /ˈmɑːskoʊ/
a city of central European Russia; formerly capital of both the Soviet Union and Soviet Russia; since 1991 the capital of the Russian Federation
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
numberlessadjective
too numerous to be counted
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading & O. Railroad, comprising, all told, some four thousand miles of track.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading & O. Railroad, comprising, all told, some four thousand miles of track.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
on one occasion
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
and nothing more
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
passesnounUS /ˈpæsəz/
plural of “pass” — (baseball) an advance to first base by a batter who receives four balls
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
a course of conduct
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
PetersburgnounUS /ˈpiːtərzbərɡ/
a town in southeastern Virginia (south of Richmond); scene of heavy fighting during the American Civil War
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading That portion of the P.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
RailroadnounUS /ˈreɪlroʊd/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading & O. Railroad, comprising, all told, some four thousand miles of track.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
routenounUS /ruːt/
an established line of travel or access
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
rulernounUS /ˈruːlər/
a person who rules or commands
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
RussianounUS /ˈrʌʃə/
a former communist country in eastern Europe and northern Asia; established in 1922; included Russia and 14 other soviet socialist republics (Ukraine and Byelorussia and others); officially dissolved 31 December 1991
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
seaboardnounUS /ˈsiːbɔːrd/
the shore of a sea or ocean regarded as a resort
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
seeksnounUS /siːks/
plural of “seek” — the movement of a read/write head to a specific data track on a disk
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
sendsverbUS /sendz/
third-person singular of “send” — cause to go somewhere
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading & O. Railroad, comprising, all told, some four thousand miles of track.
St
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
successive (without a break)
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
StretchingnounUS /ˈstretʃɪŋ/
act of expanding by lengthening or widening
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading & O. Railroad, comprising, all told, some four thousand miles of track.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading & O. Railroad, comprising, all told, some four thousand miles of track.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading & O. Railroad, comprising, all told, some four thousand miles of track.
plural of “turn” — a circular segment of a curve
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
twistsnounUS /twɪsts/
plural of “twist” — an unforeseen development
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
wastefuladjectiveUS /ˈweɪstfəl/
inefficient in use of time and effort and materials
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading THE NEW POSITION Stretching from the Atlantic seaboard on the east to the Mississippi River on the west, lies the great P.
in or at the place that
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Once upon a time, a Czar of Russia, asked by his ministers to indicate the route for a railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow, placed a ruler on the map before him and drew a straight line between those cities, a line which his engineers were forced to follow; but that is the only road in the world constructed in so wasteful a fashion.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Look at it on the map and you will see how it twists and turns and sends off numberless little branches; for a railroad is like a river and always seeks the easiest path--the path, that is, where the grades are least and the passes in the mountains lowest.
