Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

from one side of something to the other

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

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

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading "Would you have thought it so steep that he could have slithered away like that?

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

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

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

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

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But there it is," he muttered.

a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading "Would you have thought it so steep that he could have slithered away like that?

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

compelled forcibly by an outside agency

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

move smoothly and effortlessly

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

the activity of flying a glider

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)

From this reading "Now then, here goes."

destroyed or killed

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

understanding with difficulty

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

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

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

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

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

plural of “heel” — the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading "Now then, here goes."

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

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

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

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

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

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

made greater in size or amount or degree

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

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

From this reading But there it is," he muttered.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "Would you have thought it so steep that he could have slithered away like that?

plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

set down according to a plan

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

property that is leased or rented out or let

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading "Would you have thought it so steep that he could have slithered away like that?

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice

From this reading But there it is," he muttered.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading "Now then, here goes."

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

preceding and preparing for something

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

with speed

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

steal goods; take as spoils

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

(American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running into the line

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

the context and environment in which something is set

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

a particular situation

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

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

From this reading "Would you have thought it so steep that he could have slithered away like that?

an elevated geological formation

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "Would you have thought it so steep that he could have slithered away like that?

move hurridly

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

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

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

having a sharp inclination

From this reading "Would you have thought it so steep that he could have slithered away like that?

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "Would you have thought it so steep that he could have slithered away like that?

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

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading "Now then, here goes."

in or at that place or location

From this reading But there it is," he muttered.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading "Would you have thought it so steep that he could have slithered away like that?

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

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

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

From this reading Letting himself go, he began to glide slowly upon his well-nailed shoes; then the speed increased, and he would the next minute have been rushing rapidly down the slope had he not driven in his heels and stopped himself.

in or at the place that

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

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

From this reading Grasping his rifle, he squatted down on his heels, and laid the weapon across his knees preparatory to setting himself in motion, on the faint chance of gliding down to where Bracy would have gone before him.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Would you have thought it so steep that he could have slithered away like that?