Chapter XVII

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

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

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

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

nocturnal mouselike mammal with forelimbs modified to form membranous wings and anatomical adaptations for echolocation by which they navigate

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading Certainly in that wide, windmill-dotted valley, the open range was a thing of the past.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

made less hopeful or enthusiastic

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

having the power of driving or impelling

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

owed and payable immediately or on demand

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

enclose with a fence

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

past form of “fence” — enclose with a fence

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

depressingly dark

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

plural of “gu” — the largest and southernmost island in the Marianas which is administered as a territory of the United States; it was ceded by Spain to the United States in 1898

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

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

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

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

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

an abrupt spasmodic movement

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

set down according to a plan

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

plural of “lane” — a narrow way or road

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

the production of eggs (especially in birds)

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

newly made

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Certainly in that wide, windmill-dotted valley, the open range was a thing of the past.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

any cohesive unit such as a military company

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

the time that has elapsed

From this reading Certainly in that wide, windmill-dotted valley, the open range was a thing of the past.

an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

the herd of horses from which those to be used the next day are chosen

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

plural of “rope” — a strong line

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

(mathematics) a miscalculation that results from rounding off numbers to a convenient number of decimals

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

refrain from harming

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

plural of “staple” — (usually in the plural) a necessary commodity for which demand is constant

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

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

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

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

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

a special situation

From this reading Certainly in that wide, windmill-dotted valley, the open range was a thing of the past.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

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

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

past form of “toil” — work hard

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

not enclosed by a fence

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

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

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

the topmost one of two

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river

From this reading Certainly in that wide, windmill-dotted valley, the open range was a thing of the past.

the visual percept of a region

From this reading To reach it they rode due north from Chula Vista, following an old road that had been fenced so many times that Gloomy Gus became discouraged.

be awake, be alert, be there

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

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

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

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

From this reading Certainly in that wide, windmill-dotted valley, the open range was a thing of the past.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Certainly in that wide, windmill-dotted valley, the open range was a thing of the past.

a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)

From this reading AND HIS SQUIRREL STORY The upper range of the Bat Wing was a country by itself.

ligament made of metal and used to fasten things or make cages or fences etc

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading Twisting and turning, driving around through new-made lanes, or jerking a world of staples and laying the wire on the ground, he toiled on in the wake of the outfit, which was rounding up spare corners of the unfenced range.

someone who argues noisily or angrily

From this reading Behind him came the horse wrangler and his helper, doing their best to keep the remuda out of the barbed-wire, and jerking up more fence with their ropes than Gus laid down with his nail-puller.