used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Half a dozen women were crowding around her, fingering her hair and talking excitedly to each other.
blondadjectiveUS /blɑːnd/
being or having light colored skin and hair and usually blue or grey eyes
From this reading During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her shoulders.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
clearingnounUS /ˈklɪrɪŋ/
a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
crowdingnounUS /ˈkraʊdɪŋ/
a situation in which people or things are crowded together
From this reading Half a dozen women were crowding around her, fingering her hair and talking excitedly to each other.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her shoulders.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading Half a dozen women were crowding around her, fingering her hair and talking excitedly to each other.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her shoulders.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Half a dozen women were crowding around her, fingering her hair and talking excitedly to each other.
excitedlyadverbUS /ɪkˈsaɪtədli/
with excitement; in an excited manner
From this reading Half a dozen women were crowding around her, fingering her hair and talking excitedly to each other.
extraadjectiveUS /ˈekstrə/
more than is needed, desired, or required
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her shoulders.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
fingeringnounUS /ˈfɪŋɡərɪŋ/
the placement of the fingers for playing different notes (or sequences of notes) on a musical instrument
From this reading Half a dozen women were crowding around her, fingering her hair and talking excitedly to each other.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her shoulders.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her shoulders.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Half a dozen women were crowding around her, fingering her hair and talking excitedly to each other.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading To Jim’s relief he saw his mother still sitting on their old Nellie.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her shoulders.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
Hudsons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
plural of “indian” — a native or inhabitant of India
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
Jim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
Jim's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To Jim’s relief he saw his mother still sitting on their old Nellie.
Ma's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her shoulders.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading To Jim’s relief he saw his mother still sitting on their old Nellie.
neatadjectiveUS /niːt/
clean or organized
From this reading During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her shoulders.
Nellie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To Jim’s relief he saw his mother still sitting on their old Nellie.
not any; not one
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading To Jim’s relief he saw his mother still sitting on their old Nellie.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading To Jim’s relief he saw his mother still sitting on their old Nellie.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Half a dozen women were crowding around her, fingering her hair and talking excitedly to each other.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her shoulders.
with speed
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading To Jim’s relief he saw his mother still sitting on their old Nellie.
sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her shoulders.
cut with a saw
From this reading To Jim’s relief he saw his mother still sitting on their old Nellie.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her shoulders.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading To Jim’s relief he saw his mother still sitting on their old Nellie.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
not in physical motion
From this reading To Jim’s relief he saw his mother still sitting on their old Nellie.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading Half a dozen women were crowding around her, fingering her hair and talking excitedly to each other.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
under normal conditions
From this reading During her ride, Ma’s usually neat blond hair had fallen down over her shoulders.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
in or at the place that
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading They were happy to reach a small clearing where more Indians were waiting with their women, children and extra horses.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The Indians dragged Jim and his father rapidly through the woods until the Hudsons thought they could go no farther.
