used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading We can come back and maybe pack up and get to the head of the other fork to-night.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading We can come back and maybe pack up and get to the head of the other fork to-night.
artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading We can come back and maybe pack up and get to the head of the other fork to-night.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
cross-stick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
dishesnounUS /ˈdɪʃəz/
plural of “dish” — a piece of dishware normally used as a container for holding or serving food
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t think it goes far, and I reckon we’ll not see much up there.
EarlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
the act of consuming food
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading I don’t think it goes far, and I reckon we’ll not see much up there.
to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
forknounUS /fɔːrk/
cutlery used for serving and eating food
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
set up or found
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading We can come back and maybe pack up and get to the head of the other fork to-night.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
From this reading I don’t think it goes far, and I reckon we’ll not see much up there.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading We can come back and maybe pack up and get to the head of the other fork to-night.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
Hugh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I don’t think it goes far, and I reckon we’ll not see much up there.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I don’t think it goes far, and I reckon we’ll not see much up there.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
let's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
by chance
From this reading We can come back and maybe pack up and get to the head of the other fork to-night.
the flesh of animals (including fishes and birds and snails) used as food
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
merrilyadverbUS /ˈmerəli/
in a joyous manner
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading I don’t think it goes far, and I reckon we’ll not see much up there.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I don’t think it goes far, and I reckon we’ll not see much up there.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We can come back and maybe pack up and get to the head of the other fork to-night.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading We can come back and maybe pack up and get to the head of the other fork to-night.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
arrange in a container
From this reading We can come back and maybe pack up and get to the head of the other fork to-night.
picketnounUS /ˈpɪkɪt/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
polenounUS /poʊl/
a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading I don’t think it goes far, and I reckon we’ll not see much up there.
sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
riggingnounUS /ˈrɪɡɪŋ/
gear consisting of ropes etc. supporting a ship's masts and sails
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
precisely, exactly
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
put a saddle on
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
scaffoldnounUS /ˈskæfəld/
a platform from which criminals are executed (hanged or beheaded)
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
scareverbUS /sker/
cause fear in
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading I don’t think it goes far, and I reckon we’ll not see much up there.
slantedadjectiveUS /ˈslæntɪd/
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
stripverbUS /strɪp/
take away possessions from someone
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
in or at that place or location
From this reading I don’t think it goes far, and I reckon we’ll not see much up there.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading I don’t think it goes far, and I reckon we’ll not see much up there.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
bound or secured closely
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We can come back and maybe pack up and get to the head of the other fork to-night.
to-night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We can come back and maybe pack up and get to the head of the other fork to-night.
tyingnounUS /ˈtaɪɪŋ/
the act of tying or binding things together
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
washingnounUS /ˈwɑːʃɪŋ/
the work of cleansing (usually with soap and water)
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
wavingnounUS /ˈweɪvɪŋ/
the act of signaling by a movement of the hand
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We can come back and maybe pack up and get to the head of the other fork to-night.
we'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t think it goes far, and I reckon we’ll not see much up there.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
at the time that
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading AN ICE RIVER Early the next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Hugh said, “Now, boys, let’s saddle and ride up this middle fork.
in the company of; together with
From this reading When the boys got in with the saddle horses, after tying the pack horses so that they could not follow, they found that Hugh had put up a pole which slanted over the meat on the scaffold, and to that pole he had tied a cross-stick from which a long strip of cloth was waving merrily in the breeze.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You boys go out right after breakfast and picket the pack horses and bring in the saddle animals, while I’m washing up the dishes and rigging up a scare over this meat, to keep off the birds.”
