used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
alarmingadjectiveUS /əˈlɑːrmɪŋ/
frightening because of an awareness of danger
From this reading It was an alarming situation, and Deck was more than glad to hear the hoof-strokes of horses approaching.
(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 A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was an alarming situation, and Deck was more than glad to hear the hoof-strokes of horses approaching.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
any person at all
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
the event of one object coming closer to another
From this reading It was an alarming situation, and Deck was more than glad to hear the hoof-strokes of horses approaching.
army'snounUS /ˈɑːrmiz/
possessive form of “army” — a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He now proposed to wring the information out of the major at the point of the pistol.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
Brentford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
bribenounUS /braɪb/
payment made to a person in a position of trust to corrupt his judgment
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
cavalrymen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
cold-bloodedadjectiveUS /ˈkoʊldˈblʌdəd/
without compunction or human feeling
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
ConfederatenounUS /kənˈfedərət/
a supporter of the Confederate States of America
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading It was an alarming situation, and Deck was more than glad to hear the hoof-strokes of horses approaching.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading It was an alarming situation, and Deck was more than glad to hear the hoof-strokes of horses approaching.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
hoof-strokes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was an alarming situation, and Deck was more than glad to hear the hoof-strokes of horses approaching.
horsemennounUS /ˈhɔːrsmən/
plural of “horseman” — a man skilled in equitation
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading It was an alarming situation, and Deck was more than glad to hear the hoof-strokes of horses approaching.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
a message received and understood
From this reading He now proposed to wring the information out of the major at the point of the pistol.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was an alarming situation, and Deck was more than glad to hear the hoof-strokes of horses approaching.
and nothing more
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
LyonnounUS /ˈlaɪən/
a city in east-central France on the Rhone River; a principal producer of silk and rayon
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
MajoradjectiveUS /ˈmeɪdʒər/
of greater importance or stature or rank
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It was an alarming situation, and Deck was more than glad to hear the hoof-strokes of horses approaching.
plural of “movement” — a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
no person; not anyone
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He now proposed to wring the information out of the major at the point of the pistol.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He now proposed to wring the information out of the major at the point of the pistol.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
having a systematic arrangement; especially having elements succeeding in order according to rule
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He now proposed to wring the information out of the major at the point of the pistol.
go across or through
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
pistolnounUS /ˈpɪstəl/
a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
From this reading He now proposed to wring the information out of the major at the point of the pistol.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading He now proposed to wring the information out of the major at the point of the pistol.
more desirable than another
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
past form of “propose” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading It was an alarming situation, and Deck was more than glad to hear the hoof-strokes of horses approaching.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
spyverbUS /spaɪ/
catch sight of
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading He felt the horsemen must be Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was an alarming situation, and Deck was more than glad to hear the hoof-strokes of horses approaching.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
an organization of employees formed to bargain with the employer
From this reading A FRIEND IN NEED Captain Brentford had tried to bribe Major Deck Lyon into telling all he knew concerning the Union army's proposed movements, and had failed.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was an alarming situation, and Deck was more than glad to hear the hoof-strokes of horses approaching.
wringverbUS /rɪŋ/
twist and press out of shape
From this reading He now proposed to wring the information out of the major at the point of the pistol.
distant but within sight (“yon” is dialectal)
From this reading "Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford, hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.
