Chapter III

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

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

inflected form of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

(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 It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

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

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

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

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Bobbie simply would not study at home.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

form a curve

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

exhale hard

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

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

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

a youthful male person

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

lacking funds

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

rid of obstructions

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

the body of faculty and students of a college

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

the first light of day

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

dearly loved

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

opinion or judgment

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

well known or easily recognized

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

a contest with rules to determine a winner

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

the act of departing

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

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

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

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

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

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

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

where you live at a particular time

From this reading Bobbie simply would not study at home.

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

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

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

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

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

small air-breathing arthropod

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

a field of cultivated and mowed grass

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

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

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

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

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

the condition of being essential or indispensable

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

leave undone or leave out

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Bobbie simply would not study at home.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

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

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

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

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading By dawn of the day he was off on his horse, and every inch of ground for miles around was as familiar as the lawn in front of the house.

having or expressing strong emotions

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

gradual improvement or growth or development

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

inflected form of “repay” — pay back

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

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

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

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

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

express in words

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

cause to go somewhere

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

and nothing more

From this reading Bobbie simply would not study at home.

being one more than fifteen

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

not in physical motion

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

successive (without a break)

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

a detailed critical inspection

From this reading Bobbie simply would not study at home.

gracefully thin and bending and moving with ease

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

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

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

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

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

male cat

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

plural of “tutor” — a person who gives private instruction (as in singing, acting, etc.)

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

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

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

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

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

at the time that

From this reading Bobbie was sixteen when his father finally made up his mind to send him to college.

which person or people

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading Every bend of the river with all its fish, every bird that flew, every insect that hummed, and every kind of game in the woods, were as near and dear to Bobbie and Peter Black as old and tried friends; and though his progress with his tutors was not always as great as it might have been, his tall, straight body, his supple limbs, and his clear eyes and bright, clever face more than repaid for the neglect of his books.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Bobbie simply would not study at home.

but in spite of that

From this reading It nearly broke his mother’s heart, to say nothing of the terrible blow it was to Peter Black and Sallie Tom, who still kept up their passionate love for the boy; yet it was admitted by all that the going was a necessity.