used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue snow.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
aspensnounUS /ˈæspənz/
plural of “aspen” — any of several trees of the genus Populus having leaves on flattened stalks so that they flutter in the lightest wind
From this reading The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue snow.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue snow.
BrownsnounUS /braʊnz/
plural of “brown” — an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
a formal event performed on a special occasion
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
Charleton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading --_Charleton Falkner_.
a person who is in charge
From this reading The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue snow.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
creeknounUS /kriːk/
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue snow.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue snow.
plural of “dog” — a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
DouglasnounUS /ˈdʌɡləs/
United States politician who proposed that individual territories be allowed to decide whether they would have slavery; he engaged in a famous series of debates with Abraham Lincoln (1813-1861)
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
DusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading Dusk was settling in the valley.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
etchedadjectiveUS /etʃt/
cut or impressed into a surface
From this reading The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue snow.
FalknernounUS /ˈfɔːknər/
United States novelist (originally Falkner) who wrote about people in the southern United States (1897-1962)
From this reading --_Charleton Falkner_.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
GRADUATIONnounUS /ˌɡrædʒuːˈeɪʃən/
the successful completion of a program of study
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue snow.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
an instinctive motive
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Dusk was settling in the valley.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
JudithnounUS /ˈdʒuːdəθ/
Jewish heroine in one of the books of the Apocrypha; she saved her people by decapitating the Assyrian general Holofernes
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue snow.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
post-office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
quiveringnounUS /ˈkwɪvərɪŋ/
a shaky motion
From this reading The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue snow.
ranchnounUS /ræntʃ/
farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
RockiesnounUS /ˈrɑːkiz/
the chief mountain range of western North America; extends from British Columbia to northern New Mexico; forms the continental divide
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue snow.
roundaboutadjectiveUS /ˈraʊndəbaʊt/
marked by obliqueness or indirection in speech or conduct
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
settlingnounUS /ˈsetəlɪŋ/
a gradual sinking to a lower level
From this reading Dusk was settling in the valley.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue snow.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
from that place or that time
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading Dusk was settling in the valley.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Dusk was settling in the valley.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue snow.
whiskeynounUS /ˈwɪski/
a liquor made from fermented mash of grain
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
in the company of; together with
From this reading Instead of riding home with Judith, after the ceremony, Douglas, on sudden impulse, took a roundabout way to the post-office, thence toward the Browns' ranch.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading THE GRADUATION DANCE "Horses, dogs, guns, women, whiskey, the open country of the Rockies--enough for any man."
