used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Here to his hand was a five-gallon can of gasoline waiting for proper use.
on a ship, train, plane or other vehicle
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Just as he asked Lanky Wallace to do, he now did.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Just as he asked Lanky Wallace to do, he now did.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And he knew the best use to which it could be put!
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading And he knew the best use to which it could be put!
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
with self-possession (especially in times of stress)
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Here to his hand was a five-gallon can of gasoline waiting for proper use.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading And he knew the best use to which it could be put!
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Just as he asked Lanky Wallace to do, he now did.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Just as he asked Lanky Wallace to do, he now did.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
five-gallon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here to his hand was a five-gallon can of gasoline waiting for proper use.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Here to his hand was a five-gallon can of gasoline waiting for proper use.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
Frank'snounUS /fræŋks/
possessive form of “frank” — a member of the ancient Germanic peoples who spread from the Rhine into the Roman Empire in the 4th century
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
gasolinenounUS /ˈɡæsəliːn/
a volatile flammable mixture of hydrocarbons (hexane and heptane and octane etc.) derived from petroleum; used mainly as a fuel in internal-combustion engines
From this reading Here to his hand was a five-gallon can of gasoline waiting for proper use.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Here to his hand was a five-gallon can of gasoline waiting for proper use.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Just as he asked Lanky Wallace to do, he now did.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here to his hand was a five-gallon can of gasoline waiting for proper use.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And he knew the best use to which it could be put!
and nothing more
From this reading Just as he asked Lanky Wallace to do, he now did.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading And he knew the best use to which it could be put!
LankyadjectiveUS /ˈlæŋki/
tall and thin and having long slender limbs
From this reading Just as he asked Lanky Wallace to do, he now did.
the force of workers available
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
not any; not one
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Just as he asked Lanky Wallace to do, he now did.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness
From this reading Here to his hand was a five-gallon can of gasoline waiting for proper use.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading And he knew the best use to which it could be put!
RACINGnounUS /ˈreɪsɪŋ/
the sport of engaging in contests of speed
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
sauntered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
without speaking
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
theftnounUS /θeft/
the act of taking something from someone unlawfully
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
in or at that place or location
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
the act of using
From this reading Here to his hand was a five-gallon can of gasoline waiting for proper use.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading Here to his hand was a five-gallon can of gasoline waiting for proper use.
WallacenounUS /ˈwɔːləs/
Scottish insurgent who led the resistance to Edward I; in 1297 he gained control of Scotland briefly until Edward invaded Scotland again and defeated Wallace and subsequently executed him (1270-1305)
From this reading Just as he asked Lanky Wallace to do, he now did.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading RACING BACK TO HIS FATHER In Frank’s mind there was no idea of theft.
at the time that
From this reading When these two men had calmly and slowly sauntered away from the trees, Frank stole silently to the boat and climbed aboard.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading And he knew the best use to which it could be put!
