used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A HARD JOURNEY.
(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 was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
athletesnounUS /ˈæθliːts/
plural of “athlete” — a person trained to compete in sports
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
tried unsuccessfully
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
a state at a particular time
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
increase twofold
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
effectivelyadverbUS /ɪˈfektɪvli/
in an effective manner
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
at any time
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
gropeverbUS /ɡroʊp/
feel about uncertainly or blindly
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading A HARD JOURNEY.
hardestadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdəst/
superlative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading A HARD JOURNEY.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
mappedverbUS /mæpt/
inflected form of “map” — make a map of; show or establish the features of details of
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
MattnounUS /mæt/
the property of having little or no contrast; lacking highlights or gloss
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
and nothing more
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
the condition of being essential or indispensable
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
a course of conduct
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
a light shade of red
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
projectingadjectiveUS /prəˈdʒektɪŋ/
extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
scalingnounUS /ˈskeɪlɪŋ/
the act of arranging in a graduated series
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
solvedadjectiveUS /sɑːlvd/
explained or answered
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
having a sharp inclination
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
directed up
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
vividlyadverbUS /ˈvɪvədli/
in a vivid manner
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading But scaling that steep wall, under the double necessity of doing it effectively and making little noise, was one of the hardest things he ever attempted.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were few better athletes than Matt King, and he was in the pink of condition.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was a matter of pride with him to keep himself at all times fit and ready for whatever fate threw his way.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
actively engaged in paid work
From this reading He had kept vividly in his mind the path he had mapped out, and the upward climb was merely the working out of a problem that he had already solved in theory; but he had to work out the problem in the dark, and to grope with his feet for the projecting stones and with his hands for the bushes.
