used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Each held the Indian in subjection and thought to use him with daring impunity against its rival.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Each held the Indian in subjection and thought to use him with daring impunity against its rival.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading So it was with the great fur-trading companies at the beginning of this century.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading In both cases the fun may become ghastly earnest with no time for cry-quits.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading So it was with the great fur-trading companies at the beginning of this century.
the two together, not just one
From this reading In both cases the fun may become ghastly earnest with no time for cry-quits.
plural of “case” — an occurrence of something
From this reading In both cases the fun may become ghastly earnest with no time for cry-quits.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading And each was caught in the meshes of its own merry game.
a period of 100 years
From this reading So it was with the great fur-trading companies at the beginning of this century.
companiesnounUS /ˈkʌmpəniːz/
plural of “company” — an institution created to conduct business
From this reading So it was with the great fur-trading companies at the beginning of this century.
cry-quits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In both cases the fun may become ghastly earnest with no time for cry-quits.
daringnounUS /ˈderɪŋ/
a challenge to do something dangerous or foolhardy
From this reading Each held the Indian in subjection and thought to use him with daring impunity against its rival.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Each held the Indian in subjection and thought to use him with daring impunity against its rival.
characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions
From this reading In both cases the fun may become ghastly earnest with no time for cry-quits.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In both cases the fun may become ghastly earnest with no time for cry-quits.
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading In both cases the fun may become ghastly earnest with no time for cry-quits.
fur-trading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So it was with the great fur-trading companies at the beginning of this century.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading And each was caught in the meshes of its own merry game.
ghastlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡæstli/
shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
From this reading In both cases the fun may become ghastly earnest with no time for cry-quits.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading So it was with the great fur-trading companies at the beginning of this century.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Each held the Indian in subjection and thought to use him with daring impunity against its rival.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Each held the Indian in subjection and thought to use him with daring impunity against its rival.
impunitynounUS /ˌɪmˈpjuːnɪti/
exemption from punishment or loss
From this reading Each held the Indian in subjection and thought to use him with daring impunity against its rival.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In both cases the fun may become ghastly earnest with no time for cry-quits.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading So it was with the great fur-trading companies at the beginning of this century.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Each held the Indian in subjection and thought to use him with daring impunity against its rival.
make-believenoun
imaginative intellectual play
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading In both cases the fun may become ghastly earnest with no time for cry-quits.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading And each was caught in the meshes of its own merry game.
meshesnounUS /ˈmeʃɪz/
plural of “mesh” — the number of openings per linear inch of a screen; measures size of particles
From this reading And each was caught in the meshes of its own merry game.
not any; not one
From this reading In both cases the fun may become ghastly earnest with no time for cry-quits.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading And each was caught in the meshes of its own merry game.
participate in games or sport
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
pussy-wants-a-corner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
RECKONINGnounUS /ˈrekənɪŋ/
problem solving that involves numbers or quantities
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
rivalverbUS /ˈraɪvəl/
be equal to in quality or ability
From this reading Each held the Indian in subjection and thought to use him with daring impunity against its rival.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So it was with the great fur-trading companies at the beginning of this century.
subjectionnoun
forced submission to control by others
From this reading Each held the Indian in subjection and thought to use him with daring impunity against its rival.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In both cases the fun may become ghastly earnest with no time for cry-quits.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading So it was with the great fur-trading companies at the beginning of this century.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Each held the Indian in subjection and thought to use him with daring impunity against its rival.
tigernounUS /ˈtaɪɡər/
a fierce or audacious person
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading In both cases the fun may become ghastly earnest with no time for cry-quits.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Each held the Indian in subjection and thought to use him with daring impunity against its rival.
the act of using
From this reading Each held the Indian in subjection and thought to use him with daring impunity against its rival.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading So it was with the great fur-trading companies at the beginning of this century.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A DAY OF RECKONING As well play pussy-wants-a-corner with a tiger as make-believe war with an Indian.
