Chapter II

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

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

(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 soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

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

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

graceful Old World ruminant with long legs and horns directed upward and backward; includes gazelles; springboks; impalas; addax; gerenuks; blackbucks; dik-diks

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading The grey monotone of the prairie was unbroken by any bit of colour.

relevant relation or interconnection

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

a small piece or quantity of something

From this reading The grey monotone of the prairie was unbroken by any bit of colour.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

a hill that rises abruptly from the surrounding region; has a flat top and sloping sides

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The grey monotone of the prairie was unbroken by any bit of colour.

put or send forth

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

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

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

having or capable of producing colors

From this reading The grey monotone of the prairie was unbroken by any bit of colour.

overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

having an (artificial) crown on a tooth

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

separated in space or coming from or going to a distance

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

one or the other of two

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

apart from; not including

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

very far away in space or time

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

plural of “fellow” — a boy or man

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

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

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

plural of “foothill” — a relatively low hill on the lower slope of a mountain

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

the outside boundary or surface of something

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

past form of “gash” — cut open

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

shoot down, of birds

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black

From this reading The grey monotone of the prairie was unbroken by any bit of colour.

(of animals) fully developed

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

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

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

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

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

where you live at a particular time

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

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 The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

the cloak as a symbol of authority

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

an unchanging intonation

From this reading The grey monotone of the prairie was unbroken by any bit of colour.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

used to form the superlative

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

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

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

plural of “pine” — a coniferous tree

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

a treeless grassy plain

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

plural of “ravine” — a deep narrow steep-sided valley (especially one formed by running water)

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

abounding in rocks or stones

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

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

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

the state of being covered with unclean things

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

changing location rapidly

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

comparative of “tall” — great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

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

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

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

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

in the direction of

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

create by training and teaching

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

plural of “traveller” — a person who changes location

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

marked by continuous or uninterrupted extension in space or time or sequence

From this reading The grey monotone of the prairie was unbroken by any bit of colour.

lacking variety

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

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

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

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

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

toward the west

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.

in or at the place that

From this reading The soil, the sage-brush, the dead grass that had grown the summer before, were all grey, unvaried except where a great rock or a bush taller than its fellows cast a long black shadow.

a Caucasian

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

belonging to which person

From this reading Now and then the train passed close to some high butte, whose sides were gashed and gullied by deep ravines, and whose summit was crowned by a scattered fringe of black pines.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Far off on either side, rose great mountains, covered with a mantle of snow, the most distant looking like far-off white clouds.

plural of “wolf” — any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs

From this reading PRAIRIE WOLVES AND ANTELOPE One morning, a few days later, a train was speeding westward among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, bearing the travellers towards their summer home.