used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading HOW THE SERPENT WAS CAPTURED--HOSPITABLE RECEPTION--MYSTERY OF A DONKEY.
having companions or an escort
From this reading Our after-rider and fore-looper had accompanied us, and I immediately called to them.
after-rider
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our after-rider and fore-looper had accompanied us, and I immediately called to them.
(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 "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Well, how are you going to do it?" queried Jack.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
exhale hard
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Our after-rider and fore-looper had accompanied us, and I immediately called to them.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
CAPTUREDverbUS /ˈkæptʃərd/
past form of “capture” — succeed in representing or expressing something intangible
From this reading HOW THE SERPENT WAS CAPTURED--HOSPITABLE RECEPTION--MYSTERY OF A DONKEY.
damagenounUS /ˈdæmədʒ/
the occurrence of a change for the worse
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Well, how are you going to do it?" queried Jack.
DONKEYnounUS /ˈdɑːŋki/
the symbol of the Democratic Party; introduced in cartoons by Thomas Nast in 1874
From this reading HOW THE SERPENT WAS CAPTURED--HOSPITABLE RECEPTION--MYSTERY OF A DONKEY.
fore-looper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our after-rider and fore-looper had accompanied us, and I immediately called to them.
the act of departing
From this reading "Well, how are you going to do it?" queried Jack.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Our after-rider and fore-looper had accompanied us, and I immediately called to them.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
HOSPITABLEadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːˈspɪtəbəl/
favorable to life and growth
From this reading HOW THE SERPENT WAS CAPTURED--HOSPITABLE RECEPTION--MYSTERY OF A DONKEY.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE SERPENT WAS CAPTURED--HOSPITABLE RECEPTION--MYSTERY OF A DONKEY.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
I'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading Our after-rider and fore-looper had accompanied us, and I immediately called to them.
injurynounUS /ˈɪndʒəri/
any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Well, how are you going to do it?" queried Jack.
a small worthless amount
From this reading "Well, how are you going to do it?" queried Jack.
LassonounUS /ˈlæsoʊ/
Belgian composer (1532-1594)
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading HOW THE SERPENT WAS CAPTURED--HOSPITABLE RECEPTION--MYSTERY OF A DONKEY.
absolutely essential
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HOW THE SERPENT WAS CAPTURED--HOSPITABLE RECEPTION--MYSTERY OF A DONKEY.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Our after-rider and fore-looper had accompanied us, and I immediately called to them.
plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
capable of happening or existing
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
queriedverbUS /ˈkwɪrid/
inflected form of “query” — pose a question
From this reading "Well, how are you going to do it?" queried Jack.
on the contrary
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
RECEPTIONnounUS /rɪˈsepʃən/
the manner in which something is greeted
From this reading HOW THE SERPENT WAS CAPTURED--HOSPITABLE RECEPTION--MYSTERY OF A DONKEY.
rifle-ball
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
except for; apart from
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
SERPENTnounUS /ˈsɜːrpənt/
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading HOW THE SERPENT WAS CAPTURED--HOSPITABLE RECEPTION--MYSTERY OF A DONKEY.
a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
strangleverbUS /ˈstræŋɡəl/
kill by squeezing the throat of so as to cut off the air
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOW THE SERPENT WAS CAPTURED--HOSPITABLE RECEPTION--MYSTERY OF A DONKEY.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Our after-rider and fore-looper had accompanied us, and I immediately called to them.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
untouchedadjectiveUS /ənˈtʌtʃt/
still full
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Our after-rider and fore-looper had accompanied us, and I immediately called to them.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
WASauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HOW THE SERPENT WAS CAPTURED--HOSPITABLE RECEPTION--MYSTERY OF A DONKEY.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well, how are you going to do it?" queried Jack.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Hold on," I said; "that will blow his head all to pieces; we want to save his skin with as little injury as possible."
won't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Lasso him and strangle him," I answered; "if necessary, we can put a rifle-ball through his head--that won't damage it much--but I'd rather save him whole and untouched."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Well, how are you going to do it?" queried Jack.
