used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He looked back for sight of a policeman but saw only the empty street.
at or in the front
From this reading Far ahead now was that tiny red speck that he had been following.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Porterville was two miles away, yet at Porterville there might be an officer at the ferry house.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Porterville was two miles away, yet at Porterville there might be an officer at the ferry house.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He looked back for sight of a policeman but saw only the empty street.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Porterville was two miles away, yet at Porterville there might be an officer at the ferry house.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Far ahead now was that tiny red speck that he had been following.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He looked back for sight of a policeman but saw only the empty street.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Before him stretched a long, gradually curving road, picked out at long intervals by lights.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
curvingadjectiveUS /ˈkɜːrvɪŋ/
having or marked by a curve or smoothly rounded bend
From this reading Before him stretched a long, gradually curving road, picked out at long intervals by lights.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading He looked back for sight of a policeman but saw only the empty street.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Far ahead now was that tiny red speck that he had been following.
ferryverbUS /ˈferi/
transport from one place to another
From this reading Porterville was two miles away, yet at Porterville there might be an officer at the ferry house.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading Far ahead now was that tiny red speck that he had been following.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He looked back for sight of a policeman but saw only the empty street.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
futilitynounUS /fjuːˈtɪləti/
uselessness as a consequence of having no practical result
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
past form of “gain” — obtain
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
in a gradual manner
From this reading Before him stretched a long, gradually curving road, picked out at long intervals by lights.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Far ahead now was that tiny red speck that he had been following.
harderadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdər/
comparative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He looked back for sight of a policeman but saw only the empty street.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Porterville was two miles away, yet at Porterville there might be an officer at the ferry house.
InstinctivelyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈstɪŋktɪvliː/
as a matter of instinct
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
intervalsnounUS /ˈɪntərvəlz/
plural of “interval” — a definite length of time marked off by two instants
From this reading Before him stretched a long, gradually curving road, picked out at long intervals by lights.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
JOE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading Before him stretched a long, gradually curving road, picked out at long intervals by lights.
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 Before him stretched a long, gradually curving road, picked out at long intervals by lights.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He looked back for sight of a policeman but saw only the empty street.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Porterville was two miles away, yet at Porterville there might be an officer at the ferry house.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Porterville was two miles away, yet at Porterville there might be an officer at the ferry house.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Far ahead now was that tiny red speck that he had been following.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading Porterville was two miles away, yet at Porterville there might be an officer at the ferry house.
and nothing more
From this reading He looked back for sight of a policeman but saw only the empty street.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Before him stretched a long, gradually curving road, picked out at long intervals by lights.
pedalsnounUS /ˈpedəlz/
plural of “pedal” — a sustained bass note
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading Before him stretched a long, gradually curving road, picked out at long intervals by lights.
policemannounUS /pəˈliːsmən/
a member of a police force
From this reading He looked back for sight of a policeman but saw only the empty street.
Porterville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Porterville was two miles away, yet at Porterville there might be an officer at the ferry house.
the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading Far ahead now was that tiny red speck that he had been following.
RESIGNSverbUS /rɪˈzaɪnz/
third-person singular of “resign” — leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading Before him stretched a long, gradually curving road, picked out at long intervals by lights.
cut with a saw
From this reading He looked back for sight of a policeman but saw only the empty street.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading He looked back for sight of a policeman but saw only the empty street.
specknounUS /spek/
a very small spot
From this reading Far ahead now was that tiny red speck that he had been following.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading He looked back for sight of a policeman but saw only the empty street.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading Before him stretched a long, gradually curving road, picked out at long intervals by lights.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Far ahead now was that tiny red speck that he had been following.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Porterville was two miles away, yet at Porterville there might be an officer at the ferry house.
very small
From this reading Far ahead now was that tiny red speck that he had been following.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Porterville was two miles away, yet at Porterville there might be an officer at the ferry house.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading JOE RESIGNS Instinctively Joe worked harder at the pedals and gained the corner; was around it before the futility of further pursuit came to him.
but in spite of that
From this reading Porterville was two miles away, yet at Porterville there might be an officer at the ferry house.
