used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
the state of being absent
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
agent'snounUS /ˈeɪdʒənts/
possessive form of “agent” — an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Indian, a broad-shouldered, powerfully built man in a blue uniform, stopped at the agent's desk and saluted.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The Indian, a broad-shouldered, powerfully built man in a blue uniform, stopped at the agent's desk and saluted.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The agent's eyes were questioning Plenty Buffalo before the police chief had more than entered the doorway.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading The Indian, a broad-shouldered, powerfully built man in a blue uniform, stopped at the agent's desk and saluted.
broad-shoulderedadjective
having broad shoulders
From this reading The Indian, a broad-shouldered, powerfully built man in a blue uniform, stopped at the agent's desk and saluted.
BuffalonounUS /ˈbʌfəloʊ/
large shaggy-haired brown bison of North American plains
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading The Indian, a broad-shouldered, powerfully built man in a blue uniform, stopped at the agent's desk and saluted.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
a person who is in charge
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
customaryadjectiveUS /ˈkʌstəmeri/
in accordance with convention or custom
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading Ordinarily Walter Lowell would not have looked up from his desk.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading The agent's eyes were questioning Plenty Buffalo before the police chief had more than entered the doorway.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading The agent's eyes were questioning Plenty Buffalo before the police chief had more than entered the doorway.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The agent's eyes were questioning Plenty Buffalo before the police chief had more than entered the doorway.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
footfalls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Ordinarily Walter Lowell would not have looked up from his desk.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The agent's eyes were questioning Plenty Buffalo before the police chief had more than entered the doorway.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Ordinarily Walter Lowell would not have looked up from his desk.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Ordinarily Walter Lowell would not have looked up from his desk.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
leisurelinessnoun
slowness by virtue of being leisurely
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Ordinarily Walter Lowell would not have looked up from his desk.
LowellnounUS /ˈloʊəl/
United States poet (1917-1977)
From this reading Ordinarily Walter Lowell would not have looked up from his desk.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The Indian, a broad-shouldered, powerfully built man in a blue uniform, stopped at the agent's desk and saluted.
moccasined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The agent's eyes were questioning Plenty Buffalo before the police chief had more than entered the doorway.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Ordinarily Walter Lowell would not have looked up from his desk.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
official'snounUS /əˈfɪʃəlz/
possessive form of “official” — a worker who holds or is invested with an office
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
OrdinarilyadverbUS /ˌɔːrdəˈnerəli/
under normal conditions
From this reading Ordinarily Walter Lowell would not have looked up from his desk.
paddingnounUS /ˈpædɪŋ/
artifact consisting of soft or resilient material used to fill or give shape or protect or add comfort
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
a full supply
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
the force of policemen and officers
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
powerfullyadverbUS /ˈpaʊərfli/
in a powerful manner
From this reading The Indian, a broad-shouldered, powerfully built man in a blue uniform, stopped at the agent's desk and saluted.
questioningadjectiveUS /ˈkwestʃənɪŋ/
perplexed (as if being expected to know something that you do not know)
From this reading The agent's eyes were questioning Plenty Buffalo before the police chief had more than entered the doorway.
generally approved or compelling recognition
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
salutedverbUS /səˈluːtɪd/
past form of “salute” — propose a toast to
From this reading The Indian, a broad-shouldered, powerfully built man in a blue uniform, stopped at the agent's desk and saluted.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading The Indian, a broad-shouldered, powerfully built man in a blue uniform, stopped at the agent's desk and saluted.
stridenounUS /straɪd/
a step in walking or running
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
moving very fast
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The agent's eyes were questioning Plenty Buffalo before the police chief had more than entered the doorway.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He recognized the footfalls of Plenty Buffalo, his chief of Indian police, but this time there was an absence of the customary leisureliness in the official's stride.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
always the same; showing a single form or character in all occurrences
From this reading The Indian, a broad-shouldered, powerfully built man in a blue uniform, stopped at the agent's desk and saluted.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Ordinarily Walter Lowell would not have looked up from his desk.
German conductor (1876-1962)
From this reading Ordinarily Walter Lowell would not have looked up from his desk.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a swift padding of moccasined feet through the hall leading to the Indian agent's office.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The agent's eyes were questioning Plenty Buffalo before the police chief had more than entered the doorway.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Ordinarily Walter Lowell would not have looked up from his desk.
