used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
a cherished desire
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
a steep high face of rock
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
the body of faculty and students of a college
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
Conlan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
crazyadjectiveUS /ˈkreɪzi/
affected with madness or insanity
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
crippledadjectiveUS /ˈkrɪpəld/
disabled in the feet or legs
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
disreputableadjectiveUS /dɪsˈrepjətəbəl/
lacking respectability in character or behavior or appearance
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
start firing a weapon
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
fringesnounUS /ˈfrɪndʒɪz/
plural of “fringe” — the outside boundary or surface of something
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He owned no patented land.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading He owned no patented land.
laudableadjectiveUS /ˈlɔːdəbəl/
worthy of high praise
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
something that is lost
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
move something or somebody to a lower position
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
McKane
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
and nothing more
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
not any; not one
From this reading He owned no patented land.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
and nothing more
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
ownedadjectiveUS /oʊnd/
having an owner; often used in combination
From this reading He owned no patented land.
patentedadjectiveUS /ˈpætəntɪd/
(of devices and processes) protected by patent
From this reading He owned no patented land.
RainbownounUS /ˈreɪnboʊ/
an arc of colored light in the sky caused by refraction of the sun's rays by rain
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
RidgenounUS /rɪdʒ/
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
a male human offspring
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
spectacularlyadverbUS /spekˈtækjələrli/
in a spectacular manner
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
squatternounUS /ˈskwɑːtər/
someone who settles lawfully on government land with the intent to acquire title to it
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
THICKENverbUS /ˈθɪkən/
make thick or thicker
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
twenty-twonounUS /ˈtwentituː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of twenty-one and one
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
the topmost one of two
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were not so many, only a matter of some twenty-two head, but they meant a lot to him.
relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
in or at the place that
From this reading He was merely a squatter in the lower fringes of the Upper Country around at the western end of Mystery Ridge where Rainbow Cliff stopped spectacularly.
a Caucasian
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE SHADOWS THICKEN Old man Conlan was, as McKane had said, half crazy with the loss of his cattle.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
a late time of life
From this reading He lived with his wife in a disreputable old cabin and worked beyond his years and strength in the white fire of an ambition—a laudable ambition, for he had a crippled son back East in college.
