used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE SOUND OF A PISTOL.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
adobenounUS /əˈdoʊbi/
the clay from which adobe bricks are made
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
aimlessadjectiveUS /ˈeɪmləs/
aimlessly drifting
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
any thing at all
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
ApachesnounUS /əˈpætʃiz/
plural of “apache” — any member of Athapaskan tribes that migrated to the southwestern desert (from Arizona to Texas and south into Mexico); fought a losing battle from 1861 to 1886 with the United States and were resettled in Oklahoma
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
circlingverbUS /ˈsɜːrkəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “circle” — travel around something
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
having gaps or spaces
From this reading Suddenly one of their number dashed off with his horse on a dead run to the east.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading Suddenly one of their number dashed off with his horse on a dead run to the east.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
owed and payable immediately or on demand
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
a group of persons together in one place
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Suddenly one of their number dashed off with his horse on a dead run to the east.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Suddenly one of their number dashed off with his horse on a dead run to the east.
ten 10s
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
and nothing more
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading Suddenly one of their number dashed off with his horse on a dead run to the east.
occurrencenounUS /əˈkɜːrəns/
an event that happens
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE SOUND OF A PISTOL.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Suddenly one of their number dashed off with his horse on a dead run to the east.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Suddenly one of their number dashed off with his horse on a dead run to the east.
and nothing more
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
From this reading THE SOUND OF A PISTOL.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
poniesnounUS /ˈpoʊniz/
plural of “pony” — a range horse of the western United States
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Suddenly one of their number dashed off with his horse on a dead run to the east.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading THE SOUND OF A PISTOL.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Suddenly one of their number dashed off with his horse on a dead run to the east.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SOUND OF A PISTOL.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading JUST as night was closing in, an occurrence took place which caused our friends more alarm than anything during the day.
which person or people
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Their position was almost due east of the adobe building, which it will be remembered was about a mile distant.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Suddenly one of their number dashed off with his horse on a dead run to the east.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading The Apaches, who had been circling about on their ponies in an aimless way, drew nearer the building, until in the gathering gloom they were seen to be only a few hundred yards’ distant.
