Chapter XXVI · Buffalo Bill’s Great Shot

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

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

from one side of something to the other

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

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

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

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

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

on or to one side

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

be present at (meetings, church services, university), etc.

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading As he went backward, the officer flung away his useless revolver and clutched at his sword.

at or to or toward the back or rear

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

possessive form of “bill” — a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

large shaggy-haired brown bison of North American plains

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

a projectile that is fired from a gun

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

possessive form of “captain” — an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

the act of making something clean

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

rid of obstructions

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

past form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab

From this reading As he went backward, the officer flung away his useless revolver and clutched at his sword.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

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

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

decreasing in amount or degree

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

past form of “flash” — gleam or glow intermittently

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness

From this reading As he went backward, the officer flung away his useless revolver and clutched at his sword.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

any creature of exceptional size

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

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

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

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

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

the part of a gunlock that strikes the percussion cap when the trigger is pulled

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

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

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

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

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

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

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

someone who hunts game

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

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

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

a small worthless amount

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

evidencing the possession of inside information

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

roused to anger

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

an insane person

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

attach a tag or label to

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

being perceived or observed

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command

From this reading As he went backward, the officer flung away his useless revolver and clutched at his sword.

the representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

a pistol with a revolving cylinder (usually having six chambers for bullets)

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

the act of firing a projectile

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

a thing, without saying which

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard

From this reading As he went backward, the officer flung away his useless revolver and clutched at his sword.

the second largest state; located in southwestern United States on the Gulf of Mexico

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

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

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

push forcefully

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

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

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

moved around an axis or center

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

(of weapons) not charged with ammunition

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

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

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully

From this reading As he went backward, the officer flung away his useless revolver and clutched at his sword.

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

From this reading Had he not made this error he would have shot the Mad Hunter dead in that instant when the giant turned his head to look across the little valley.

the act of traveling by foot

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

a message informing of danger

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

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

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

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

From this reading As he went backward, the officer flung away his useless revolver and clutched at his sword.

at the time that

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

in the company of; together with

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading But as he started from the camp that evening to walk up the hill, and Texas Jack had called his warning to him, he had picked up the weapon and thrust it into his belt without looking at it.

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

From this reading In that instant, as he was falling backward upon the ground, knowing that if the huge madman reached him before Buffalo Bill’s bullet reached its mark he would be a dead man, a clear perception of the great mistake he had made flashed through the captain’s mind.

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading He remembered that that morning when cleaning his revolver he had noticed something wrong with the hammer, and had put it aside, unloaded, to attend to later in the day.