used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
AGATEnounUS /ˈæɡət/
an impure form of quartz consisting of banded chalcedony; used as a gemstone and for making mortars and pestles
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading From a quilt on the hay in the wagon a baby peeped, and Claire's heart leaped.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
next to; at the side of
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
BismarcknounUS /ˈbɪzmɑːrk/
German statesman under whose leadership Germany was united (1815-1898)
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
bonnetnounUS /ˈbɑːnət/
a hat tied under the chin
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
buffaloes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
buttenounUS /bjuːt/
a hill that rises abruptly from the surrounding region; has a flat top and sloping sides
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
campedverbUS /kæmpt/
past form of “camp” — live in or as if in a tent
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
Claire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
Claire's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From a quilt on the hay in the wagon a baby peeped, and Claire's heart leaped.
cookingnounUS /ˈkʊkɪŋ/
the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
placed crosswise
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
dippingverbUS /ˈdɪpɪŋ/
inflected form of “dip” — immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
divinelyadverbUS /dɪˈvaɪnli/
by divine means
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
erectverbUS /ɪˈrekt/
construct, build, or erect
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
opinion or judgment
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
formed or conceived by the imagination
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
featherverbUS /ˈfeðər/
join tongue and groove, in carpentry
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
glitteringadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪtərɪŋ/
having brief brilliant points or flashes of light
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
haynounUS /heɪ/
grass mowed and cured for use as fodder
From this reading From a quilt on the hay in the wagon a baby peeped, and Claire's heart leaped.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading From a quilt on the hay in the wagon a baby peeped, and Claire's heart leaped.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
homestead-seekers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
houseless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
past form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading From a quilt on the hay in the wagon a baby peeped, and Claire's heart leaped.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
Mandan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
MissourinounUS /məˈzʊri/
a midwestern state in central United States; a border state during the American Civil War, Missouri was admitted to the Confederacy without actually seceding from the Union
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
peepedverbUS /piːpt/
past form of “peep” — look furtively
From this reading From a quilt on the hay in the wagon a baby peeped, and Claire's heart leaped.
ponynounUS /ˈpoʊniː/
a range horse of the western United States
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
prairienounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
quiltnounUS /kwɪlt/
bedding made of two layers of cloth filled with stuffing and stitched together
From this reading From a quilt on the hay in the wagon a baby peeped, and Claire's heart leaped.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
rovingnounUS /ˈroʊvɪŋ/
travelling about without any clear destination
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
schoonernounUS /ˈskuːnər/
a large beer glass
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
scoutnounUS /skaʊt/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
sentinelnounUS /ˈsentənəl/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
sharp-cut
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
SiouxnounUS /suː/
a member of a group of North American Indian peoples who spoke a Siouan language and who ranged from Lake Michigan to the Rocky Mountains
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
not in physical motion
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
swing-ferry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
treelessadjectiveUS /ˈtriːləs/
not wooded
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
uplandadjectiveUS /ˈʌplənd/
used of high or hilly country
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
virginnounUS /ˈvɜːrdʒɪn/
a person who has never had sex
From this reading She came out on an upland of virgin prairie, so treeless and houseless, so divinely dipping, so rough of grass, that she could imagine buffaloes still roving.
any of various kinds of wheeled vehicles drawn by an animal or a tractor
From this reading From a quilt on the hay in the wagon a baby peeped, and Claire's heart leaped.
migratory
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In a hollow a real prairie schooner was camped, and the wandering homestead-seekers were cooking dinner beside it.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
at the time that
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE MAN WITH AGATE EYES When her car had crossed the Missouri River on the swing-ferry between Bismarck and Mandan, Claire had passed from Middle West to Far West.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading Beyond was her first butte, its sharp-cut sides glittering yellow, and she fancied that on it the Sioux scout still sat sentinel, erect on his pony, the feather bonnet down his back.
