Chapter IX

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

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

engaged in or accustomed to close observation

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

(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 It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

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

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

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

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

a swampy arm or slow-moving outlet of a lake (term used mainly in Mississippi and Louisiana)

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

a small vessel for travel on water

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities

From this reading FOR THE SAKE OF CHUM JOSH.

an eccentric or undignified rustic

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

the skilled practice of a practical occupation

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

(plural) the deepest and most remote part

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

divisible by two

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

undergo or live through a difficult experience

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

well known or easily recognized

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading FOR THE SAKE OF CHUM JOSH.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

possessive form of “george” — Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

past form of “guess” — expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

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

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

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

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

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

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

a small worthless amount

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

be silly or tease one another

From this reading FOR THE SAKE OF CHUM JOSH.

the act of participating in an athletic competition in which you must jump

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

and nothing more

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

a body of water cut off from a larger body by a reef of sand or coral

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

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

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

engage in

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

plural of “noise” — sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading FOR THE SAKE OF CHUM JOSH.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

plural of “outline” — the line that appears to bound an object

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

above and across; more than

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

work done in addition to regular working hours

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

any of several low-growing palms with fan-shaped leaves

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

to some extent; in some degree; not wholly

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

characterized by or displaying affirmation or acceptance or certainty etc.

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

continue talking

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

-ing form of “prowl” — move about in or as if in a predatory manner

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

habitually complaining

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

sit, as on a branch

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

the stealing of cattle

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

a reason for wanting something done

From this reading FOR THE SAKE OF CHUM JOSH.

cut with a saw

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

clean with hard rubbing

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

plural of “sens” — street names for marijuana

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

cause (a liquid) to spatter about, especially with force

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

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

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

drench or submerge or be drenched or submerged

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

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

From this reading FOR THE SAKE OF CHUM JOSH.

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

From this reading Having passed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

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

From this reading It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before.

a vagrant

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

precisely as stated

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

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

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling 'coon through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading And George's imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.