used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
(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 “I hadn’t quite made all my plans for next season.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had mentioned the fifteen thousand bushels of wheat casually and without elation.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading “Likely,” he answered.
basisnounUS /ˈbeɪsəs/
a relation that provides the foundation for something
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
bushelsnounUS /ˈbʊʃəlz/
plural of “bushel” — a United States dry measure equal to 4 pecks or 2152.42 cubic inches
From this reading He had mentioned the fifteen thousand bushels of wheat casually and without elation.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
casuallyadverbUS /ˈkæʒəwəli/
not methodically or according to plan
From this reading He had mentioned the fifteen thousand bushels of wheat casually and without elation.
cropnounUS /krɑːp/
the yield from plants in a single growing season
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
DiamondnounUS /ˈdaɪmənd/
a transparent piece of diamond that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
elationnounUS /ɪˈleɪʃən/
an exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism; an absence of depression
From this reading He had mentioned the fifteen thousand bushels of wheat casually and without elation.
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading He had mentioned the fifteen thousand bushels of wheat casually and without elation.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “I hadn’t quite made all my plans for next season.”
yet to be or coming
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
a nonmetallic univalent element that is normally a colorless and odorless highly flammable diatomic gas; the simplest and lightest and most abundant element in the universe
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had mentioned the fifteen thousand bushels of wheat casually and without elation.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I hadn’t quite made all my plans for next season.”
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Likely,” he answered.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I hadn’t quite made all my plans for next season.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
the act of departing
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading “Likely,” he answered.
machinerynounUS /məˈʃiːnəri/
machines or machine systems collectively
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading “I hadn’t quite made all my plans for next season.”
marginnounUS /ˈmɑːrdʒən/
the boundary line or the area immediately inside the boundary
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
maturitynounUS /məˈtʃʊrəti/
the period of time in your life after your physical growth has stopped and you are fully developed
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
past form of “mention” — make reference to
From this reading He had mentioned the fifteen thousand bushels of wheat casually and without elation.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “I hadn’t quite made all my plans for next season.”
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading “I hadn’t quite made all my plans for next season.”
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had mentioned the fifteen thousand bushels of wheat casually and without elation.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
operationsnounUS /ˌɑːpərˈeɪʃənz/
financial transactions at a brokerage; having to do with the execution of trades and keeping customer records
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
owedverbUS /oʊd/
past form of “owe” — be obliged to pay or repay
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
give money, usually in exchange for goods or services
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
have the will and intention to carry out some action
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished
From this reading “I hadn’t quite made all my plans for next season.”
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading “I hadn’t quite made all my plans for next season.”
a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading “I hadn’t quite made all my plans for next season.”
solidadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləd/
characterized by good substantial quality
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
not in physical motion
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
stockedadjectiveUS /stɑːkt/
furnished with more than enough
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He had mentioned the fifteen thousand bushels of wheat casually and without elation.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading He had mentioned the fifteen thousand bushels of wheat casually and without elation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
(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 This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
wheatnounUS /wiːt/
annual or biennial grass having erect flower spikes and light brown grains
From this reading He had mentioned the fifteen thousand bushels of wheat casually and without elation.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading He had mentioned the fifteen thousand bushels of wheat casually and without elation.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It would pay for the new farm machinery with which the Half Diamond H was now stocked but for which he still owed, leaving him a big margin for future operations.
year'snounUS /jɪrz/
possessive form of “year” — a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading This first year’s crop would put him on a solid basis and well on his way toward the maturity of his original plan to buy all of the best land in the valley.
