Chapter IV · Chapter 4

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

the lower side of anything

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

plural of “cottonwood” — any of several North American trees of the genus Populus having a tuft of cottony hairs on the seed

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

plural of “daytime” — the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

make (to feel) fresh

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

destroyed or killed

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Here is the way we put in the time.

inflected form of “hide” — prevent from being seen or discovered

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Here is the way we put in the time.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Here is the way we put in the time.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

set down according to a plan

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading Then we set out the lines.

appealing to the emotions as well as the eye

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

abnormally large

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

used to form the superlative

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

-ing form of “navigate” — travel on water propelled by wind or by other means

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Then we set out the lines.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Here is the way we put in the time.

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

a flat float (usually made of logs or planks) that can be used for transport or as a platform for swimmers

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

express in words

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Then we set out the lines.

inflected form of “slide” — move obliquely or sideways, usually in an uncontrolled manner

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

in the near future

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

travel through water

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

inflected form of “swim” — travel through water

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Here is the way we put in the time.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

in or at that place or location

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

bound or secured closely

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Here is the way we put in the time.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

a person with light blond hair

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

past form of “watch” — look attentively

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

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 It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Here is the way we put in the time.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Here is the way we put in the time.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading TWO or three days and nights went by; I reckon I might say they swum by, they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely.

in or at the place that

From this reading Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

plural of “willow” — any of numerous deciduous trees and shrubs of the genus Salix

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

in the company of; together with

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading It was a monstrous big river down there--sometimes a mile and a half wide; we run nights, and laid up and hid daytimes; soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up--nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.