used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The boss of a trail herd cannot be a shirker, and Sanderson did his full share of the work.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The boss of a trail herd cannot be a shirker, and Sanderson did his full share of the work.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
awakenverbUS /əˈweɪkən/
cause to become awake or conscious
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The boss of a trail herd cannot be a shirker, and Sanderson did his full share of the work.
for the reason that
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
bossnounUS /bɑːs/
a person who exercises control over workers
From this reading The boss of a trail herd cannot be a shirker, and Sanderson did his full share of the work.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boss of a trail herd cannot be a shirker, and Sanderson did his full share of the work.
DEVIL'SnounUS /ˈdevəlz/
possessive form of “devil” — (Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell
From this reading DEVIL'S HOLE Sanderson took his turn standing watch with the other men.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The boss of a trail herd cannot be a shirker, and Sanderson did his full share of the work.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
extraadjectiveUS /ˈekstrə/
more than is needed, desired, or required
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The boss of a trail herd cannot be a shirker, and Sanderson did his full share of the work.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Tonight he had the midnight shift.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Tonight he had the midnight shift.
herdnounUS /hɜːrd/
a group of cattle or sheep or other domestic mammals all of the same kind that are herded by humans
From this reading The boss of a trail herd cannot be a shirker, and Sanderson did his full share of the work.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading DEVIL'S HOLE Sanderson took his turn standing watch with the other men.
an opening into or through something
From this reading DEVIL'S HOLE Sanderson took his turn standing watch with the other men.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
KidverbUS /kɪd/
tell false information to for fun
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
the force of workers available
From this reading DEVIL'S HOLE Sanderson took his turn standing watch with the other men.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading Tonight he had the midnight shift.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
nightwatch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The boss of a trail herd cannot be a shirker, and Sanderson did his full share of the work.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading DEVIL'S HOLE Sanderson took his turn standing watch with the other men.
proximitynounUS /prɑːkˈsɪməti/
the property of being close together
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
Sanderson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DEVIL'S HOLE Sanderson took his turn standing watch with the other men.
have in common
From this reading The boss of a trail herd cannot be a shirker, and Sanderson did his full share of the work.
shiftverbUS /ʃɪft/
make a shift in or exchange of
From this reading Tonight he had the midnight shift.
shirkernoun
a person who shirks his work or duty (especially one who tries to evade military service in wartime)
From this reading The boss of a trail herd cannot be a shirker, and Sanderson did his full share of the work.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
SoapyadjectiveUS /ˈsoʊpi/
resembling or having the qualities of soap
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
having a supporting base
From this reading DEVIL'S HOLE Sanderson took his turn standing watch with the other men.
successornounUS /səkˈsesər/
a person who follows next in order
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading DEVIL'S HOLE Sanderson took his turn standing watch with the other men.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
TonightadverbUS /təˈnaɪt/
On the present night.
From this reading Tonight he had the midnight shift.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading DEVIL'S HOLE Sanderson took his turn standing watch with the other men.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading The boss of a trail herd cannot be a shirker, and Sanderson did his full share of the work.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading DEVIL'S HOLE Sanderson took his turn standing watch with the other men.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
look attentively
From this reading DEVIL'S HOLE Sanderson took his turn standing watch with the other men.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Because of the proximity of the herd to Devil's Hole an extra man had been told off for the nightwatch, and Soapy and the Kid were doing duty with Sanderson.
in the company of; together with
From this reading DEVIL'S HOLE Sanderson took his turn standing watch with the other men.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The boss of a trail herd cannot be a shirker, and Sanderson did his full share of the work.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading At two o'clock he would ride back to camp, awaken his successor, and turn in to sleep until morning.
