Chapter XXXII

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

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

later than; following

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

plural of “alley” — a narrow street with walls on both sides

From this reading Doc picked his way out of the labyrinth of tortuous alleys and finally came to a comparatively wide lane leading southeast.

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

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

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

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Doc picked his way out of the labyrinth of tortuous alleys and finally came to a comparatively wide lane leading southeast.

ride at a canter

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

dense vegetation consisting of stunted trees or bushes

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

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

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

in a relative manner; by comparison to something else

From this reading Doc picked his way out of the labyrinth of tortuous alleys and finally came to a comparatively wide lane leading southeast.

the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

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

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

comparative of “deeply” — to a great depth psychologically or emotionally

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

apart from; not including

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

comparative of “faint” — deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

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

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

From this reading Doc picked his way out of the labyrinth of tortuous alleys and finally came to a comparatively wide lane leading southeast.

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

having lost your job

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

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

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

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 He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

the act of departing

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

destroyed or killed

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

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

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

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

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

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

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

the back of a horse

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

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

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

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

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

complex system of paths or tunnels in which it is easy to get lost

From this reading Doc picked his way out of the labyrinth of tortuous alleys and finally came to a comparatively wide lane leading southeast.

a narrow way or road

From this reading Doc picked his way out of the labyrinth of tortuous alleys and finally came to a comparatively wide lane leading southeast.

the item at the end

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

indicating the most important performer or role

From this reading Doc picked his way out of the labyrinth of tortuous alleys and finally came to a comparatively wide lane leading southeast.

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 The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

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

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

a native or inhabitant of Mexico

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

the light of the Moon

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

assembled for use; especially by being attached to a support

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

on one occasion

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

and nothing more

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Doc picked his way out of the labyrinth of tortuous alleys and finally came to a comparatively wide lane leading southeast.

plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

a legal document giving official permission to do something

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group

From this reading Doc picked his way out of the labyrinth of tortuous alleys and finally came to a comparatively wide lane leading southeast.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

designed or carried out according to a plan

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

successfully completed or brought to an end

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

cut with a saw

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

in an aggressive manner

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

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

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

the compass point midway between south and east; at 135 degrees

From this reading Doc picked his way out of the labyrinth of tortuous alleys and finally came to a comparatively wide lane leading southeast.

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming

From this reading He rode at a canter now and planned how he would strike the fugitive's trail further down, and after he had ridden a few miles he was struck by a thought that stopped him at once.

closely encircling

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

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

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

in or at that place or location

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

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

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

highly complex or intricate and occasionally devious

From this reading Doc picked his way out of the labyrinth of tortuous alleys and finally came to a comparatively wide lane leading southeast.

a track or mark left by something that has passed

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

plural of “trail” — a track or mark left by something that has passed

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

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

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Doc picked his way out of the labyrinth of tortuous alleys and finally came to a comparatively wide lane leading southeast.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

in or at the place that

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

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

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.

during the time that

From this reading He paused and thought a while--Antonio would head for Eagle, that being the only place where he could get assistance, and there he would find friends.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading Doc picked his way out of the labyrinth of tortuous alleys and finally came to a comparatively wide lane leading southeast.

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading DOC TRAILS Doc had not gone far into the chaparral before he realized that his work was going to be hard.

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

From this reading The trail was much fainter than it would have been if the Mexican were mounted; the moonlight failed to penetrate the chaparral except in irregular patches which made the surrounding shadows all the deeper by contrast; what little he saw of the trail led through places far too small and turning too sharply to permit being followed by a man on horseback, and lastly, he expected every minute to be fired upon, and at close range.