A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XIII
This discovery led me into a train of reflection. What could he--an Indian--want on the other side? If Osceola, as I still believed, what could _he_ be doing there? In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death. This Indian, then, whoever he was, must have some powerful-motive for seeking the other side.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “What could he--an Indian--want on the other side?”
very enthusiastic or eager
From this reading “In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.”
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “This Indian, then, whoever he was, must have some powerful-motive for seeking the other side.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “If Osceola, as I still believed, what could _he_ be doing there?”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This discovery led me into a train of reflection.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading What could he--an Indian--want on the other side?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading If Osceola, as I still believed, what could _he_ be doing there?
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If Osceola, as I still believed, what could _he_ be doing there?
the past participle of “be”
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Osceola, as I still believed, what could _he_ be doing there?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading What could he--an Indian--want on the other side?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This discovery led me into a train of reflection.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Osceola, as I still believed, what could _he_ be doing there?
very enthusiastic or eager
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What could he--an Indian--want on the other side?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading If Osceola, as I still believed, what could _he_ be doing there?
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If Osceola, as I still believed, what could _he_ be doing there?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What could he--an Indian--want on the other side?
moving to the inside of something
From this reading This discovery led me into a train of reflection.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This discovery led me into a train of reflection.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading This discovery led me into a train of reflection.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading This Indian, then, whoever he was, must have some powerful-motive for seeking the other side.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This discovery led me into a train of reflection.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading What could he--an Indian--want on the other side?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Osceola, as I still believed, what could _he_ be doing there?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What could he--an Indian--want on the other side?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This Indian, then, whoever he was, must have some powerful-motive for seeking the other side.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This discovery led me into a train of reflection.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This Indian, then, whoever he was, must have some powerful-motive for seeking the other side.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What could he--an Indian--want on the other side?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This Indian, then, whoever he was, must have some powerful-motive for seeking the other side.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If Osceola, as I still believed, what could _he_ be doing there?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading What could he--an Indian--want on the other side?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This Indian, then, whoever he was, must have some powerful-motive for seeking the other side.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Osceola, as I still believed, what could _he_ be doing there?
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This discovery led me into a train of reflection.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This discovery led me into a train of reflection.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What could he--an Indian--want on the other side?
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This Indian, then, whoever he was, must have some powerful-motive for seeking the other side.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What could he--an Indian--want on the other side?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This Indian, then, whoever he was, must have some powerful-motive for seeking the other side.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading In the excited state of the country, it would have been risking his life for an Indian to have approached the settlement--and to have been discovered and captured would have been certain death.
