used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading If you had happened to come across our outfit it would have seemed very crude to you.
(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 We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
apparatusnounUS /ˌæpərˈætəs/
equipment designed to serve a specific function
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
AREauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading _HOW THE PRECIOUS STONES ARE FOUND_ Then we settled down to steady mining.
boardsnounUS /bɔːrdz/
(used in the plural) the stage of a theater
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
boxesnounUS /ˈbɑːksəz/
plural of “box” — a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
clutternounUS /ˈklʌtər/
a confused multitude of things
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading If you had happened to come across our outfit it would have seemed very crude to you.
crudeadjectiveUS /kruːd/
not carefully or expertly made
From this reading If you had happened to come across our outfit it would have seemed very crude to you.
dismaladjectiveUS /ˈdɪzməl/
causing dejection
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading _HOW THE PRECIOUS STONES ARE FOUND_ Then we settled down to steady mining.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Yet we had one of the few good mines down there.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
set up or found
From this reading _HOW THE PRECIOUS STONES ARE FOUND_ Then we settled down to steady mining.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Yet we had one of the few good mines down there.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
gravelnounUS /ˈɡrævəl/
rock fragments and pebbles
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If you had happened to come across our outfit it would have seemed very crude to you.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading If you had happened to come across our outfit it would have seemed very crude to you.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If you had happened to come across our outfit it would have seemed very crude to you.
heapsnounUS /hiːps/
a large number or amount
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
holesnounUS /hoʊlz/
plural of “hole” — an opening into or through something
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _HOW THE PRECIOUS STONES ARE FOUND_ Then we settled down to steady mining.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If you had happened to come across our outfit it would have seemed very crude to you.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If you had happened to come across our outfit it would have seemed very crude to you.
jigging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
minesnounUS /maɪnz/
plural of “mine” — excavation in the earth from which ores and minerals are extracted
From this reading Yet we had one of the few good mines down there.
miningnounUS /ˈmaɪnɪŋ/
the act of extracting ores or coal etc from the earth
From this reading _HOW THE PRECIOUS STONES ARE FOUND_ Then we settled down to steady mining.
absolutely essential
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Yet we had one of the few good mines down there.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
outfitnounUS /ˈaʊtfɪt/
any cohesive unit such as a military company
From this reading If you had happened to come across our outfit it would have seemed very crude to you.
pansnounUS /pænz/
plural of “pan” — cooking utensil consisting of a wide metal vessel
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
to some extent; in some degree; not wholly
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
picksnounUS /pɪks/
plural of “pick” — the person or thing chosen or selected
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for
From this reading _HOW THE PRECIOUS STONES ARE FOUND_ Then we settled down to steady mining.
made ready or fit or suitable beforehand
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
pumpverbUS /pʌmp/
operate like a pump; move up and down, like a handle or a pedal
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading If you had happened to come across our outfit it would have seemed very crude to you.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading _HOW THE PRECIOUS STONES ARE FOUND_ Then we settled down to steady mining.
shapelessadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪpləs/
having no definite form or distinct shape
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
get rid of
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
shovelsnounUS /ˈʃʌvəlz/
plural of “shovel” — a hand tool for lifting loose material; consists of a curved container or scoop and a handle
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
sievesnounUS /sɪvz/
plural of “sieve” — a strainer for separating lumps from powdered material or grading particles
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
make steady
From this reading _HOW THE PRECIOUS STONES ARE FOUND_ Then we settled down to steady mining.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading _HOW THE PRECIOUS STONES ARE FOUND_ Then we settled down to steady mining.
suckingnounUS /ˈsʌkɪŋ/
the act of sucking
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
swingingnounUS /ˈswɪŋɪŋ/
changing location by moving back and forth
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _HOW THE PRECIOUS STONES ARE FOUND_ Then we settled down to steady mining.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading _HOW THE PRECIOUS STONES ARE FOUND_ Then we settled down to steady mining.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Yet we had one of the few good mines down there.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _HOW THE PRECIOUS STONES ARE FOUND_ Then we settled down to steady mining.
TomsnounUS /tɑːmz/
plural of “tom” — male cat
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
toolsnounUS /tuːlz/
plural of “tool” — an implement used in the practice of a vocation
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
troughsnounUS /trɔːfs/
plural of “trough” — a narrow depression (as in the earth or between ocean waves or in the ocean bed)
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
precisely as stated
From this reading If you had happened to come across our outfit it would have seemed very crude to you.
washingnounUS /ˈwɑːʃɪŋ/
the work of cleansing (usually with soap and water)
From this reading We built a shed for our tools, and we got the hand pump out, we prepared sieves for jigging and we made "Long Toms" and swinging sieves, washing troughs and all the necessary apparatus.
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 Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading _HOW THE PRECIOUS STONES ARE FOUND_ Then we settled down to steady mining.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
worthlessadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrθləs/
lacking in usefulness or value
From this reading Rough washing boxes, rough troughs through which we turned water, shapeless holes in the ground partly filled with water, great heaps of worthless gravel, the dismal sucking sound of the old hand pump, and a clutter of boards, pans, shovels, and picks.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If you had happened to come across our outfit it would have seemed very crude to you.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet we had one of the few good mines down there.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading If you had happened to come across our outfit it would have seemed very crude to you.
