used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A STERN CHASE For a brief instant Dad sat blinking, incredulous.
acuteadjectiveUS /əˈkjuːt/
having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading At flash of steel against steel the boy’s half-trained cavalry horse had shied violently.
at or in the front
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then he saw and understood.
anglenounUS /ˈæŋɡəl/
the space between two lines or planes that intersect; the inclination of one line to another; measured in degrees or radians
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
blinkingadjectiveUS /ˈblɪŋkɪŋ/
closing the eyes intermittently and rapidly
From this reading A STERN CHASE For a brief instant Dad sat blinking, incredulous.
boy'snounUS /bɔɪz/
possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading At flash of steel against steel the boy’s half-trained cavalry horse had shied violently.
of short duration or distance
From this reading A STERN CHASE For a brief instant Dad sat blinking, incredulous.
cavalrynounUS /ˈkævəlri/
troops trained to fight on horseback
From this reading At flash of steel against steel the boy’s half-trained cavalry horse had shied violently.
go after with the intent to catch
From this reading A STERN CHASE For a brief instant Dad sat blinking, incredulous.
clungverbUS /klʌŋ/
inflected form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
clutchingverbUS /ˈklʌtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
traveling across
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
DadnounUS /dæd/
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading A STERN CHASE For a brief instant Dad sat blinking, incredulous.
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading At flash of steel against steel the boy’s half-trained cavalry horse had shied violently.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A STERN CHASE For a brief instant Dad sat blinking, incredulous.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
franticallyadverbUS /ˈfræntəkəli/
in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading At flash of steel against steel the boy’s half-trained cavalry horse had shied violently.
half-trained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At flash of steel against steel the boy’s half-trained cavalry horse had shied violently.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then he saw and understood.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
horse'snounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/
possessive form of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
incredulousadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkredʒələs/
not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving
From this reading A STERN CHASE For a brief instant Dad sat blinking, incredulous.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading A STERN CHASE For a brief instant Dad sat blinking, incredulous.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
Jimmie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
new-learned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
principlesnounUS /ˈprɪnsəpəlz/
plural of “principle” — a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
one of four equal parts
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
runawaynounUS /ˈrʌnəweɪ/
an easy victory
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
put a saddle on
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading A STERN CHASE For a brief instant Dad sat blinking, incredulous.
cut with a saw
From this reading Then he saw and understood.
shiedverbUS /ʃaɪd/
inflected form of “shy” — start suddenly, as from fright
From this reading At flash of steel against steel the boy’s half-trained cavalry horse had shied violently.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading At flash of steel against steel the boy’s half-trained cavalry horse had shied violently.
STERNadjectiveUS /stɜːrn/
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
From this reading A STERN CHASE For a brief instant Dad sat blinking, incredulous.
swayedverbUS /sweɪd/
past form of “sway” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading And on the horse’s back, clutching frantically to the saddle, his new-learned principles of riding quite forgotten, swayed and clung Battle Jimmie.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he saw and understood.
thunderedverbUS /ˈθʌndərd/
past form of “thunder” — move fast, noisily, and heavily
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Crossing the field to right of the road and at an acute angle to it, a full quarter of a mile ahead, thundered a runaway horse.
fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation
From this reading Then he saw and understood.
violentlyadverbUS /ˈvaɪələntli/
in a violent manner
From this reading At flash of steel against steel the boy’s half-trained cavalry horse had shied violently.
