used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE BORROWED HAND-CAR It was hot and the walking was hard.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
ballastnounUS /ˈbæləst/
any heavy material used to stabilize a ship or airship
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It might be, he thought, a train to Greenbank.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
BORROWEDverbUS /ˈbɑːroʊd/
past form of “borrow” — get temporarily
From this reading THE BORROWED HAND-CAR It was hot and the walking was hard.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
divisible by two
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
Greenbank
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It might be, he thought, a train to Greenbank.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
HAND-CAR
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BORROWED HAND-CAR It was hot and the walking was hard.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading THE BORROWED HAND-CAR It was hot and the walking was hard.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It might be, he thought, a train to Greenbank.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading THE BORROWED HAND-CAR It was hot and the walking was hard.
idealadjectiveUS /aɪˈdiːl/
conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence; embodying an ideal
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE BORROWED HAND-CAR It was hot and the walking was hard.
to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
locomotivenounUS /ˌloʊkəˈmoʊtɪv/
a wheeled vehicle consisting of a self-propelled engine that is used to draw trains along railway tracks
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
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 Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
for more time
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It might be, he thought, a train to Greenbank.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
and nothing more
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
a course of conduct
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
protruded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
sleepernounUS /ˈsliːpər/
a rester who is sleeping
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
stretchesnounUS /ˈstretʃəz/
plural of “stretch” — a large and unbroken expanse or distance
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BORROWED HAND-CAR It was hot and the walking was hard.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading It might be, he thought, a train to Greenbank.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
tracksnounUS /træks/
plural of “track” — a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading They took to the path between the tracks, but even that was far from being an ideal surface.
create by training and teaching
From this reading It might be, he thought, a train to Greenbank.
a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
unwaryadjectiveUS /ənˈweri/
not alert to danger or deception
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading Now and then a sleeper, longer than the rest, protruded to trip unwary feet and for long stretches at a time they walked over ballast.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading THE BORROWED HAND-CAR It was hot and the walking was hard.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE BORROWED HAND-CAR It was hot and the walking was hard.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
at the time that
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading When they had been on their way only a few minutes a locomotive whistle sounded in the distance behind them and Jimmy was for turning back.
