Chapter I · Chapter 1

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

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

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

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

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

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

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

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

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

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

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

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

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

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

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

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

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

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

the month following July and preceding September

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

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

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

coldness due to a cold environment

From this reading The wind was chill.

not open or affording passage or access

From this reading He half closed his eyes and searched the horizon.

lacking in light; not bright or harsh

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

opinion or judgment

From this reading He half closed his eyes and searched the horizon.

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

the month following January and preceding March

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

a quantity of liquor equal to one fifth of a United States gallon

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

following the third position; number four in a countable series

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

recently made, produced, or harvested

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

a narrow gorge with a stream running through it

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading He half closed his eyes and searched the horizon.

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

From this reading He half closed his eyes and searched the horizon.

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

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

From this reading He half closed his eyes and searched the horizon.

the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet

From this reading He half closed his eyes and searched the horizon.

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

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

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

having a sharply uneven surface or outline

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

the month following June and preceding August

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

the month following May and preceding July

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

and nothing more

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

march in a procession

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

not any; not one

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Nothing was in sight.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

plural of “peak” — the most extreme possible amount or value

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

text handwritten in the style of printed matter

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

prepared and printed for distribution and sale

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

past form of “rein” — control and direct with or as if by reins

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

the chief mountain range of western North America; extends from British Columbia to northern New Mexico; forms the continental divide

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

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

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

Identical; not different.

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

past form of “search” — try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of

From this reading He half closed his eyes and searched the horizon.

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

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

coming next after the sixth and just before the eighth in position

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

an instance of visual perception

From this reading Nothing was in sight.

coming next after the fifth and just before the seventh in position

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

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

From this reading He half closed his eyes and searched the horizon.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

in or at that place or location

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

depleted of strength or energy

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

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

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

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

From this reading Nothing was in sight.

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

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

in or at the place that

From this reading Published February 15, 1911 Second printing, February 25, 1911 Third printing, March 5, 1911 Fourth printing, March 20, 1911 Fifth Printing, June 5, 1911 Sixth Printing, July 1, 1911 Seventh Printing, August 17, 1911 A man on a tired gray horse reined in where a dim cattle-trail dropped into a gulch, and looked behind him.

a Caucasian

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

belonging to which person

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading The wind was chill.

in the company of; together with

From this reading No, there was nothing--just the same old sand and sage-brush, hills, more sand and sage-brush, and then to the west and north the spur of the Rockies, whose jagged peaks were white with a fresh fall of snow.