Chapter II · An Uninvited Guest

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

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading As I have told you about our dogs, I will say a word about these horses.

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

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

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

From this reading As I have told you about our dogs, I will say a word about these horses.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

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

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

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

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

past form of “bridle” — anger or take offense

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree

From this reading One of them has considerable to do with my story.

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading One of them has considerable to do with my story.

plural of “dog” — a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds

From this reading As I have told you about our dogs, I will say a word about these horses.

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

enclose with a fence

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

characterized by intense emotion

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

group of aircraft operating together under the same ownership

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

set up or found

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

having an easygoing and cheerful disposition

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

any number of entities (members) considered as a unit

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading One of them has considerable to do with my story.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading As I have told you about our dogs, I will say a word about these horses.

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

From this reading He went by the name of Romeo.

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

possessive form of “herbert” — United States musician and composer and conductor noted for his comic operas (1859-1924)

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

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

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading As I have told you about our dogs, I will say a word about these horses.

restless or short-tempered under delay or opposition

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

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

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

the color of freshly broken cast iron

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

the cognitive process of reaching a decision or drawing conclusions

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

characterized by grandeur

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

used to form the superlative

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading One of them has considerable to do with my story.

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading He went by the name of Romeo.

a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One of them has considerable to do with my story.

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

above and across; more than

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

having a quality that thrusts itself into attention

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

the act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

to close within bounds, or otherwise limit or deprive of free movement

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

an ardent male lover

From this reading He went by the name of Romeo.

having a saddle on or being mounted on a saddled animal

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

express in words

From this reading As I have told you about our dogs, I will say a word about these horses.

rebuking a person harshly

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

a thing, without saying which

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

plural of “steed” — (literary) a spirited horse for state of war

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading One of them has considerable to do with my story.

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

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

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading One of them has considerable to do with my story.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading As I have told you about our dogs, I will say a word about these horses.

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

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

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

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading As I have told you about our dogs, I will say a word about these horses.

inflected form of “tug” — pull hard

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

precisely as stated

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

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

From this reading The most prominent animal in the group was Herbert’s horse, a magnificent iron-gray, large and good-natured like his master, very fleet, and able to carry his heavy rider like a bird over any fence in the country.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading He went by the name of Romeo.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

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

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

which person or people

From this reading We found our horses at the door, saddled and bridled, and held by two negro boys, who, judging by the tugging, pulling and scolding which they kept up, found it something of a task to restrain the fiery steeds, which were impatient to be off.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading As I have told you about our dogs, I will say a word about these horses.

in the company of; together with

From this reading One of them has considerable to do with my story.

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading As I have told you about our dogs, I will say a word about these horses.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading As I have told you about our dogs, I will say a word about these horses.