used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
awkwardadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkwərd/
causing inconvenience
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
Bronson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading It was two days since he had lost his horse in a swamp.
definedadjectiveUS /dɪˈfaɪnd/
clearly characterized or delimited
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
someone who is a detective
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
endurancenounUS /ˈendərəns/
the power to withstand hardship or stress
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
extricateverbUS /ˈekstrəkeɪt/
release from entanglement of difficulty
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
groannounUS /ɡroʊn/
an utterance expressing pain or disapproval
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
habitationnounUS /ˌhæbəˈteɪʃən/
the native habitat or home of an animal or plant
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was two days since he had lost his horse in a swamp.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was two days since he had lost his horse in a swamp.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading It was two days since he had lost his horse in a swamp.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was two days since he had lost his horse in a swamp.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
take somebody somewhere
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
limitnounUS /ˈlɪmət/
the greatest possible degree of something
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading It was two days since he had lost his horse in a swamp.
engage in
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
meanderverbUS /miˈændər/
to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
of an obscure nature
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
not any; not one
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
nowherenounUS /ˈnoʊwer/
an insignificant place
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
and nothing more
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
past form of “reveal” — make visible
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
revolvernounUS /rɪˈvɑːlvər/
a pistol with a revolving cylinder (usually having six chambers for bullets)
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading It was two days since he had lost his horse in a swamp.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
be standing; be upright
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
steeplyadverbUS /ˈstiːpli/
in a steep manner
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
not in physical motion
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
suckedverbUS /sʌkt/
past form of “suck” — draw into the mouth by creating a practical vacuum in the mouth
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
sufferingsnounUS /ˈsʌfərɪŋz/
plural of “suffering” — a state of acute pain
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
to a sufficient degree
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
swampverbUS /swɑːmp/
drench or submerge or be drenched or submerged
From this reading It was two days since he had lost his horse in a swamp.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
treacherousadjectiveUS /ˈtretʃərəs/
dangerously unstable and unpredictable
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading It was two days since he had lost his horse in a swamp.
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A TURN in the trail revealed steeply rising ground, which caused Dick Bronson, spent as he was, to stand still and groan.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The poor creature had been sucked under by the treacherous mud, and as he was unable to extricate it, he had shot the animal with his revolver to end its sufferings.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading But a big forest is an awkward place for a man on foot to get lost in; and Dick Bronson was well aware that the trail might meander on for another thirty miles without passing a human habitation, only he had come to the limit of his endurance, and could go no farther.
but in spite of that
From this reading Since then he had walked and walked, following this mysterious trail which appeared to lead to nowhere, yet which was sufficiently open and well defined to make him certain that he must in time arrive at some habitation, if only he kept on long enough.
