used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
beavernounUS /ˈbiːvər/
the soft brown fur of the beaver
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
bunksnounUS /bʌŋks/
plural of “bunk” — a long trough for feeding cattle
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
capsnounUS /kæps/
plural of “cap” — a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
crowverbUS /kroʊ/
dwell on with satisfaction
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
duskyadjective
lighted by or as if by twilight
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
fair-sized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
fliesnounUS /flaɪz/
(theater) the space over the stage (out of view of the audience) used to store scenery (drop curtains)
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
FLITTINGverbUS /ˈflɪtɪŋ/
inflected form of “flit” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
flournounUS /ˈflaʊər/
fine powdery foodstuff obtained by grinding and sifting the meal of a cereal grain
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
a fortified military post where troops are stationed
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
destroyed or killed
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
plural of “good” — benefit
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
half-breednoun
an offensive term for an offspring of parents of different racial group (especially of Caucasian and American Indian ancestry)
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this place Thompson and Joe Lamont plied their traffic.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
Lamont
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this place Thompson and Joe Lamont plied their traffic.
held up in the air
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
logsnounUS /lɔːɡz/
plural of “log” — a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
MacLeodnounUS /məˈklaʊd/
Scottish physiologist who directed the research by F. G. Banting and C. H. Best that led to the discovery of insulin (1876-1935)
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
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 MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
marshyadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrʃi/
(of soil) soft and watery
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
muskratnounUS /ˈmʌskræt/
the brown fur of a muskrat
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
nighadjectiveUS /naɪ/
not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
ninety-odd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
obsoleteadjectiveUS /ˈɑːbsəliːt/
no longer in use
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
ovalnounUS /ˈoʊvəl/
a closed plane curve resulting from the intersection of a circular cone and a plane cutting completely through it
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
Pachugan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
paradisenounUS /ˈperədaɪs/
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
percussionnounUS /pərˈkʌʃən/
the act of playing a percussion instrument
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
piledverbUS /paɪld/
past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In this place Thompson and Joe Lamont plied their traffic.
pliedverbUS /plaɪd/
inflected form of “ply” — give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance
From this reading In this place Thompson and Joe Lamont plied their traffic.
PorcupinenounUS /ˈpɔːrkjəpaɪn/
relatively large rodents with sharp erectile bristles mingled with the fur
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
powdernounUS /ˈpaʊdər/
a solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles; a solid that has been pulverized
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
rearwardadjective
located in or toward the back or rear
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
stovenounUS /stoʊv/
a kitchen appliance used for cooking food
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
stretchverbUS /stretʃ/
occupy a large, elongated area
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
structurenounUS /ˈstrʌktʃər/
a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In this place Thompson and Joe Lamont plied their traffic.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In this place Thompson and Joe Lamont plied their traffic.
ThompsonnounUS /ˈtɑːmpsən/
United States classical archaeologist (born in Canada) noted for leading the excavation of the Athenian agora (1906-2000)
From this reading A FORTUNE AND A FLITTING Christmas had come and gone before Thompson finished his job at Porcupine Lake, some ninety-odd miles, as the crow flies, north of Fort Pachugan.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
tradernounUS /ˈtreɪdər/
someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
trafficnounUS /ˈtræfɪk/
the aggregation of things (pedestrians or vehicles) coming and going in a particular locality during a specified period of time
From this reading In this place Thompson and Joe Lamont plied their traffic.
trappersnounUS /ˈtræpərz/
plural of “trapper” — someone who sets traps for animals (usually to obtain their furs)
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
trapsnounUS /træps/
plural of “trap” — a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading MacLeod sent them Indian and half-breed trappers bearing orders for so much flour, so much tea, so many traps, so much powder and ball and percussion caps for their nigh obsolete guns.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
waterfowlnounUS /ˈwɔːtərfaʊl/
freshwater aquatic bird
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
at the time that
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
a Caucasian
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading The Porcupine was a marshy stretch of water, the home of muskrat and beaver, a paradise for waterfowl when the heavy hand of winter was lifted, a sheet of ice now, a white oval in the dusky green of the forest.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Here the free trader had built a fair-sized structure of logs with goods piled in the front and the rearward end given over to a stove, a table, and two bunks.
