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AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A MASTER-STROKE OF VILLAINY.
ability
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From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
all
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From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
asserted
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From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
boast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
brother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
crushing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading And he did it subconsciously, without perceptible effort.
dim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
eagle
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From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
effort
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From this reading And he did it subconsciously, without perceptible effort.
escaped
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From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
eye
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From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
feet
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From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
fitness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
follow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
grass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
half-hidden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
horses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
Indian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And he did it subconsciously, without perceptible effort.
leave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
lifetime
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
MASTER-STROKE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A MASTER-STROKE OF VILLAINY.
matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
message
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
natural
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
nosing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A MASTER-STROKE OF VILLAINY.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
perceptible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And he did it subconsciously, without perceptible effort.
Piegan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
plains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
proved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
shortly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
signs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
slight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
subconsciously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And he did it subconsciously, without perceptible effort.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
tracknounUS /træk/
a route or signs showing the way someone went
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
trails
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A lifetime on the plains, and a natural fitness for the life, had made him own brother to the Indian in the matter of nosing out dim trails.
tuft
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
twig
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crushing of a tuft of grass, a broken twig, all the half-hidden signs that the feet of horses and men leave behind, held a message for him; nothing, however slight, escaped his eagle eye.
vain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
VILLAINY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A MASTER-STROKE OF VILLAINY.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Piegan shortly proved that he made no vain boast when he asserted his ability to follow their track.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading And he did it subconsciously, without perceptible effort.
