used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
amateurnounUS /ˈæmətɜːr/
someone who pursues a study or sport as a pastime
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
anticsnounUS /ˈæntɪks/
plural of “antic” — a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
of short duration or distance
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
an occurrence of something
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
crouchingverbUS /ˈkraʊtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
dandifiedadjective
affecting extreme elegance in dress and manner
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
defectsnounUS /ˈdiːfekts/
plural of “defect” — an imperfection in a bodily system
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
deniedverbUS /dɪˈnaɪd/
inflected form of “deny” — declare untrue; contradict
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
despisedadjectiveUS /dɪˈspaɪzd/
treated with dislike or contempt
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
divertedadjectiveUS /daɪˈvɜːrtɪd/
pleasantly occupied
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
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 To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
elegancenounUS /ˈeləɡəns/
a refined quality of gracefulness and good taste
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
embarrassmentnounUS /ɪmˈberəsmənt/
the shame you feel when your inadequacy or guilt is made public
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
divisible by two
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
faultlessadjective
without fault or error
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
a boy or man
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
foreignernounUS /ˈfɔːrənər/
a person who comes from a foreign country; someone who does not owe allegiance to your country
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
FrenchmannounUS /ˈfrentʃmæn/
a person of French nationality
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
made afraid
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
frolicsomeadjective
given to merry frolicking
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
gaudilyadverb
in a tastelessly garish manner
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
graspedverbUS /ɡræspt/
past form of “grasp” — hold firmly
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
horsebacknounUS /ˈhɔːrsbæk/
the back of a horse
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
imminentadjectiveUS /ˈɪmənənt/
close in time; about to occur
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
injuredadjectiveUS /ˈɪndʒərd/
harmed
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
the sound of laughing
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
the sound of laughing
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
maddenedadjective
marked by extreme anger
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
manenounUS /meɪn/
long coarse hair growing from the crest of the animal's neck
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
a particular point in time
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
monkeynounUS /ˈmʌŋki/
any of various long-tailed primates (excluding the prosimians)
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
not any; not one
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
overthrownounUS /ˈoʊvərθroʊ/
the termination of a ruler or institution (especially by force)
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
past form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
predicamentnounUS /prɪˈdɪkəmənt/
a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
proneadjectiveUS /proʊn/
having a tendency (to); often used in combination
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
quadrupednoun
an animal especially a mammal having four limbs specialized for walking
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
quietingverbUS /ˈkwaɪətɪŋ/
-ing form of “quiet” — become quiet or quieter
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
reinsnounUS /reɪnz/
plural of “rein” — one of a pair of long straps (usually connected to the bit or the headpiece) used to control a horse
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
relinquishedadjectiveUS /rɪˈlɪŋkwɪʃt/
that has been withdrawn or retreated from
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
ridernounUS /ˈraɪdər/
a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
saddestadjectiveUS /ˈsædəst/
superlative of “sad” — experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
screamingadjectiveUS /ˈskriːmɪŋ/
so extremely intense as to evoke screams
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
plural of “see” — the seat within a bishop's diocese where his cathedral is located
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
an ability that has been acquired by training
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
steednounUS /stiːd/
(literary) a spirited horse for state of war
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
of high or superior quality or performance
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
troopnounUS /truːp/
a group of soldiers
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
unexpectedlyadverbUS /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪdli/
in a way that was not expected
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
unexplainedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪkˈspleɪnd/
not explained
From this reading For one brief moment the attention of the troop was diverted toward the unexplained antics of the maddened horse and the imminent overthrow of its rider.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
at the time that
From this reading However graceful the Frenchman might be on foot, and no one denied his elegance of bearing, he was but an amateur on horseback, and when his steed unexpectedly plunged forward he relinquished the reins and grasped the mane.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It is one of the defects of human nature that man is prone to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in some predicament from which his own superior skill leaves him free.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading To see this dandified foreigner, whom at heart they despised in any case, crouching like a gaudily dressed monkey on a frolicsome dog, and screaming for help, was too much for even the saddest of them, and a roar of laughter went up which did nothing toward quieting the injured and frightened quadruped.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Every man in the company was a faultless rider, and nothing their horses could do would have been any embarrassment to them.
