Chapter VI

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

Having no one else present.

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

a cherished desire

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

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

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

plural of “breeze” — a slight wind (usually refreshing)

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

the time of person's life when they are a child

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

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

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

From this reading “Farewell, cruel world,” he muttered mournfully, usin’ his gun to gesture with.

dearly loved

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

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

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

Austrian general in the service of the Holy Roman Empire during the War of the Spanish Succession (1663-1736)

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

divisible by two

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

an acknowledgment or expression of goodwill at parting

From this reading “Farewell, cruel world,” he muttered mournfully, usin’ his gun to gesture with.

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

past form of “fish” — seek indirectly

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

having been flattened

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

a contest with rules to determine a winner

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling

From this reading “Farewell, cruel world,” he muttered mournfully, usin’ his gun to gesture with.

destroyed or killed

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

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

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

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

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

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

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

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

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

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

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

pull, or move with a sudden movement

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

past form of “judge” — determine the result of (a competition)

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

and nothing more

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

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 I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

past form of “listen” — hear with intention

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

engage in

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

the natural satellite of the Earth

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

in a mournful manner

From this reading “Farewell, cruel world,” he muttered mournfully, usin’ his gun to gesture with.

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

From this reading “Farewell, cruel world,” he muttered mournfully, usin’ his gun to gesture with.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

unique or specific to a person or thing or category

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

a small smooth rounded rock

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

with considerable certainty; without much doubt

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

a deep narrow steep-sided valley (especially one formed by running water)

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

plural of “remark” — a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

get the meaning of something

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

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

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

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

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

a special situation

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

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

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

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

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

being unsettled or in doubt or dependent on chance

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

up to a particular time

From this reading “Farewell, sweet dreams of childhood; farewell ambition an’ love an’ dear tyranic duty; farewell moon an’ stars an’ gentle breezes, farewell—” Eugene would probably have gone on sayin’ farewell to each particular thing in the world until he talked himself to sleep, but just then a pebble slipped from the side o’ the ravine and rolled to his feet, and he stopped with a jerk an’ listened.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

the act of using

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

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

From this reading “Farewell, cruel world,” he muttered mournfully, usin’ his gun to gesture with.

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

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading He went up it about a mile, an’ then he stopped an’ I flattened out an’ crept closer an’ closer.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading He fished out his gun, an’ I see that he didn’t savvy the use of it, which put a little uncertainty into my end o’ the game.

in the company of; together with

From this reading “Farewell, cruel world,” he muttered mournfully, usin’ his gun to gesture with.

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading “Farewell, cruel world,” he muttered mournfully, usin’ his gun to gesture with.

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

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.

to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling)

From this reading I knew he would make a few remarks first, even though he was alone, an’ I judged I could wriggle up close enough to grab him in the act.