used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To take to the mountains would have been a purposeless folly.
afootadverbUS /əˈfʊt/
on foot; walking
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
tried unsuccessfully
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading To take to the mountains would have been a purposeless folly.
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading Flight was cut off, and of course resistance was hopeless.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Flight was cut off, and of course resistance was hopeless.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading Flight was cut off, and of course resistance was hopeless.
foamingadjectiveUS /ˈfoʊmɪŋ/
emitting or filled with bubbles as from carbonation or fermentation
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
the trait of acting stupidly or rashly
From this reading To take to the mountains would have been a purposeless folly.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
fordnounUS /fɔːrd/
United States film maker (1896-1973)
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
frontiernounUS /frənˈtɪr/
a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
hopelessadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊpləs/
without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success
From this reading Flight was cut off, and of course resistance was hopeless.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
madnessnounUS /ˈmædnəs/
obsolete terms for legal insanity
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
engage in
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading To take to the mountains would have been a purposeless folly.
not any; not one
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Flight was cut off, and of course resistance was hopeless.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Flight was cut off, and of course resistance was hopeless.
and nothing more
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
purposelessadjectiveUS /ˈpɜːrpəsləs/
not evidencing any purpose or goal
From this reading To take to the mountains would have been a purposeless folly.
pursuersnounUS /pərˈsuːərz/
plural of “pursuer” — a person who is pursuing and trying to overtake or capture
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
resistancenounUS /rɪˈzɪstəns/
the action of opposing something that you disapprove or disagree with
From this reading Flight was cut off, and of course resistance was hopeless.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
roadsnounUS /roʊdz/
a partly sheltered anchorage
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
carry out
From this reading To take to the mountains would have been a purposeless folly.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Pursuit was afoot, and what should be done to avoid it no man among us could guess.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The first place our pursuers would make for would be the bridge and the ford, since they were the only roads by which we could hope to reach the frontier.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The foaming river ran in such volume that only madness would have attempted to ford it.
