used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
in addition to; as well as
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
captivesnounUS /ˈkæptɪvz/
plural of “captive” — a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
an occurrence of something
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
a person who is in charge
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading If he was pursued--and upon that point there could be no doubt--his progress must be hastened.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading If he was pursued--and upon that point there could be no doubt--his progress must be hastened.
encumberedadjectiveUS /enˈkʌmbərd/
loaded to excess or impeded by a heavy load
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
formed or conceived by the imagination
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
highest in quality
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
hastenverbUS /ˈheɪsən/
act or move at high speed
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
past form of “hasten” — act or move at high speed
From this reading If he was pursued--and upon that point there could be no doubt--his progress must be hastened.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If he was pursued--and upon that point there could be no doubt--his progress must be hastened.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading And here was the trouble.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If he was pursued--and upon that point there could be no doubt--his progress must be hastened.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
Ina
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
United States labor leader (born in Ireland) who helped to found the Industrial Workers of the World (1830-1930)
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
evidencing the possession of inside information
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
misgivingnounUS /mɪsˈɡɪvɪŋ/
uneasiness about the fitness of an action
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
MohawksnounUS /ˈmoʊhɔːks/
plural of “mohawk” — a member of the Iroquoian people formerly living along the Mohawk River in New York State
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading If he was pursued--and upon that point there could be no doubt--his progress must be hastened.
necessarilyadverbUS /ˌnesəˈserəli/
in an essential manner
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
not any; not one
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
on one occasion
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
plundernounUS /ˈplʌn.dər/
Goods or treasure taken by force or theft, especially in war or banditry.
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading If he was pursued--and upon that point there could be no doubt--his progress must be hastened.
gradual improvement or growth or development
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
a person who is being chased
From this reading If he was pursued--and upon that point there could be no doubt--his progress must be hastened.
the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
to give an account or representation of in words
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
retainverbUS /rɪˈteɪn/
hold back within
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
securitynounUS /sɪˈkjʊrəti/
the state of being free from danger or injury
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
SethnounUS /seθ/
(Old Testament) third son of Adam and Eve; given by God in place of the murdered Abel
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
an ability that has been acquired by training
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
small or little relative to something else
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
subsequentadjectiveUS /ˈsʌbsəkwənt/
following in time or order
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading It occurred to him that there might be a large party of whites upon the trail, and in such a case, his greatest skill was required to retain the captives.
a source of difficulty
From this reading And here was the trouble.
unceremoniousadjectiveUS /ˌʌnserəˈmoʊniəs/
without ceremony or formality
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
at the time that
From this reading When, however, Seth Jones’ unceremonious entrance among them, together with the escape of his new companion, and the subsequent report of the smaller party with Ina, was made known, the old chief began to have some misgiving about his fancied security.
in or at the place that
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
whitesnounUS /waɪts/
plural of “white” — a Caucasian
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
woodmannounUS /ˈwʊdmən/
someone who lives in the woods
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The village of the Mohawks was at a considerable distance from the spot where had once stood the home of the woodman--and encumbered as they were with plunder, their progress was necessarily slow; besides, knowing full well that pursuit would be useless upon the part of the whites, there was no occasion to hasten their steps.
