Chapter I

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

From this reading Made in U. S. A.

anew

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

(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 A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

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

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

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

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

having the limits or boundaries established

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

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

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

placed crosswise

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

lacking in light; not bright or harsh

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

construct, build, or erect

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

enclose with a fence

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

a formation of aircraft in flight

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

plural of “four” — the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

the dressed hairy coat of a mammal

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

based on pretense; deceptively pleasing

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

having the deep slightly brownish color of gold

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

a small growth of trees without underbrush

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

-ing form of “hark” — listen; used mostly in the imperative

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

unpleasantly stern

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

treated with dislike or contempt

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

filled or abounding with fog or mist

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

occurring among members of a family usually by heredity

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Made in U. S. A.

seize on its way

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

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 A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Made in U. S. A.

engage in

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

overgrown with moss

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

the month following September and preceding November

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

To move from a closed position.

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

being directly across from each other; facing

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

a set of two similar things considered as a unit

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

the time that has elapsed

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

past form of “preen” — clean with one's bill

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

following in order to overtake or capture or as accompaniment to such pursuit

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

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

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading Made in U. S. A.

inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

rebuking a person harshly

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

past form of “sift” — move as if through a sieve

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

plural of “splash” — the sound like water splashing

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

plural of “squirrel” — a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

the rays of the sun

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

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

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

in or at that place or location

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

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

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

a base containing nitrogen that is found in RNA (but not in DNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine

From this reading Made in U. S. A.

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.

in the company of; together with

From this reading A pair of pursuing red squirrels sprang from an opposite grove and with shrill chidings crossed the open to the snake fence.

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading A glossy black squirrel paused on one of these splashes of sunlight, and, sitting erect, preened his long fur; then as the harsh scolding of a red squirrel fell on his ears he sank on all fours again, and bounded into the heavy shadows of the wood.

land that is covered with trees and shrubs

From this reading The hazy October sunlight sifted through the trees and lay, here and there, golden bits of carpet on the mossy woodland.

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading By taking this fence they might intercept the quarry’s flight, their object being to make short work of the black, whom they hated with an hereditary hatred harking back to the dim past.