Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

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

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

any thing at all

From this reading And instead of learning anything definitely now he was merely the more perplexed.

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

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

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

From this reading THE RANCH ON BIG LITTLE RIVER Buck Thornton had returned to the Poison Hole ranch.

to strive with determination

From this reading THE RANCH ON BIG LITTLE RIVER Buck Thornton had returned to the Poison Hole ranch.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

small room on a ship or boat where people sleep

From this reading When he had found nothing he went, he hardly knew why, to the cabin, pushed the door open and entered.

exercising caution or showing care or attention

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Further, he had sought for tracks to tell him from where this man had come, where he had gone.

without question and beyond doubt

From this reading And instead of learning anything definitely now he was merely the more perplexed.

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

From this reading When he had found nothing he went, he hardly knew why, to the cabin, pushed the door open and entered.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading When he had found nothing he went, he hardly knew why, to the cabin, pushed the door open and entered.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

set up or found

From this reading When he had found nothing he went, he hardly knew why, to the cabin, pushed the door open and entered.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)

From this reading Further, he had sought for tracks to tell him from where this man had come, where he had gone.

past form of “gain” — obtain

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

destroyed or killed

From this reading Further, he had sought for tracks to tell him from where this man had come, where he had gone.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading THE RANCH ON BIG LITTLE RIVER Buck Thornton had returned to the Poison Hole ranch.

only a very short time before

From this reading When he had found nothing he went, he hardly knew why, to the cabin, pushed the door open and entered.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

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

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

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

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

an opening into or through something

From this reading THE RANCH ON BIG LITTLE RIVER Buck Thornton had returned to the Poison Hole ranch.

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

in place of, or as an alternative to

From this reading And instead of learning anything definitely now he was merely the more perplexed.

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading When he had found nothing he went, he hardly knew why, to the cabin, pushed the door open and entered.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge

From this reading And instead of learning anything definitely now he was merely the more perplexed.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading THE RANCH ON BIG LITTLE RIVER Buck Thornton had returned to the Poison Hole ranch.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

with malice; in a malicious manner

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

and nothing more

From this reading And instead of learning anything definitely now he was merely the more perplexed.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading And instead of learning anything definitely now he was merely the more perplexed.

not any; not one

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading When he had found nothing he went, he hardly knew why, to the cabin, pushed the door open and entered.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading And instead of learning anything definitely now he was merely the more perplexed.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading And instead of learning anything definitely now he was merely the more perplexed.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE RANCH ON BIG LITTLE RIVER Buck Thornton had returned to the Poison Hole ranch.

To move from a closed position.

From this reading When he had found nothing he went, he hardly knew why, to the cabin, pushed the door open and entered.

full of difficulty or confusion or bewilderment

From this reading And instead of learning anything definitely now he was merely the more perplexed.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

spoil as if by poison

From this reading THE RANCH ON BIG LITTLE RIVER Buck Thornton had returned to the Poison Hole ranch.

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

past form of “push” — move with force

From this reading When he had found nothing he went, he hardly knew why, to the cabin, pushed the door open and entered.

farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)

From this reading THE RANCH ON BIG LITTLE RIVER Buck Thornton had returned to the Poison Hole ranch.

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading THE RANCH ON BIG LITTLE RIVER Buck Thornton had returned to the Poison Hole ranch.

inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading THE RANCH ON BIG LITTLE RIVER Buck Thornton had returned to the Poison Hole ranch.

try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

from appearances alone

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

that is looked for

From this reading Further, he had sought for tracks to tell him from where this man had come, where he had gone.

moving very fast

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

express in words

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

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

From this reading THE RANCH ON BIG LITTLE RIVER Buck Thornton had returned to the Poison Hole ranch.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Further, he had sought for tracks to tell him from where this man had come, where he had gone.

American architect (1759-1828)

From this reading THE RANCH ON BIG LITTLE RIVER Buck Thornton had returned to the Poison Hole ranch.

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

From this reading THE RANCH ON BIG LITTLE RIVER Buck Thornton had returned to the Poison Hole ranch.

plural of “track” — a line or route along which something travels or moves

From this reading Further, he had sought for tracks to tell him from where this man had come, where he had gone.

a track or mark left by something that has passed

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

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

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

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

From this reading When he had found nothing he went, he hardly knew why, to the cabin, pushed the door open and entered.

at the time that

From this reading When he had found nothing he went, he hardly knew why, to the cabin, pushed the door open and entered.

in or at the place that

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

which person or people

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading When he had found nothing he went, he hardly knew why, to the cabin, pushed the door open and entered.

in the company of; together with

From this reading But first he had ridden from the Smith place down the trail to Harte's, where he made swift, careful search for some sign to tell him who was the man who had lamed his horse maliciously and seemingly with no purpose to be gained.