used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
alleynounUS /ˈæli/
a narrow street with walls on both sides
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
cross-current
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
placed crosswise
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
Dave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The responsibility Joyce had put upon him uplifted Dave.
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading Doble and Miller were small fish in the swirl of this more desperate venture.
Doble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Doble and Miller were small fish in the swirl of this more desperate venture.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/
covered with a layer of dust
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading Doble and Miller were small fish in the swirl of this more desperate venture.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading He had followed the horse-race gamblers to town on a purely selfish undertaking.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
frontiernounUS /frənˈtɪr/
a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
gamblersnounUS /ˈɡæmblərz/
plural of “gambler” — a person who wagers money on the outcome of games or sporting events
From this reading He had followed the horse-race gamblers to town on a purely selfish undertaking.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The responsibility Joyce had put upon him uplifted Dave.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had followed the horse-race gamblers to town on a purely selfish undertaking.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The responsibility Joyce had put upon him uplifted Dave.
horse-raceverb
compete in a horse race
From this reading He had followed the horse-race gamblers to town on a purely selfish undertaking.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
JoycenounUS /dʒɔɪs/
influential Irish writer noted for his many innovations (such as stream of consciousness writing) (1882-1941)
From this reading The responsibility Joyce had put upon him uplifted Dave.
Junipero
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
MillernounUS /ˈmɪlər/
United States bandleader of a popular big band (1909-1944)
From this reading Doble and Miller were small fish in the swirl of this more desperate venture.
an organization of missionaries in a foreign land sent to carry on religious work
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Doble and Miller were small fish in the swirl of this more desperate venture.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had followed the horse-race gamblers to town on a purely selfish undertaking.
outskirtsnounUS /ˈaʊtskɜːrts/
outlying areas (as of a city or town)
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
purelyadverbUS /ˈpjʊrli/
restricted to something
From this reading He had followed the horse-race gamblers to town on a purely selfish undertaking.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The responsibility Joyce had put upon him uplifted Dave.
responsibilitynounUS /riˌspɑːnsəˈbɪləti/
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading The responsibility Joyce had put upon him uplifted Dave.
ricenounUS /raɪs/
grains used as food either unpolished or more often polished
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
a reason for wanting something done
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
selfishadjectiveUS /ˈselfɪʃ/
concerned chiefly or only with yourself and your advantage to the exclusion of others
From this reading He had followed the horse-race gamblers to town on a purely selfish undertaking.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Doble and Miller were small fish in the swirl of this more desperate venture.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
possessing sweep
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
swirlverbUS /swɜːrl/
turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading Doble and Miller were small fish in the swirl of this more desperate venture.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Doble and Miller were small fish in the swirl of this more desperate venture.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
trickledverbUS /ˈtrɪkəld/
past form of “trickle” — run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
undertakingnounUS /ˈʌndərteɪkɪŋ/
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading He had followed the horse-race gamblers to town on a purely selfish undertaking.
upliftedadjectiveUS /ˈʌplɪftɪd/
exalted emotionally especially with pride
From this reading The responsibility Joyce had put upon him uplifted Dave.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The responsibility Joyce had put upon him uplifted Dave.
any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome
From this reading Doble and Miller were small fish in the swirl of this more desperate venture.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading But he had been caught in a cross-current of fate and was being swept into dangerous waters for the sake of another.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Doble and Miller were small fish in the swirl of this more desperate venture.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading BY WAY OF A WINDOW The trail of rice led down Mission Street, turned at Junipero, crossed into an alley, and trickled along a dusty road to the outskirts of the frontier town.
