used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
ALERTadjectiveUS /əˈlɜːrt/
engaged in or accustomed to close observation
From this reading ON THE ALERT.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
ApachesnounUS /əˈpætʃiz/
plural of “apache” — any member of Athapaskan tribes that migrated to the southwestern desert (from Arizona to Texas and south into Mexico); fought a losing battle from 1861 to 1886 with the United States and were resettled in Oklahoma
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
availverbUS /əˈveɪl/
use to one's advantage
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
babiesnounUS /ˈbeɪbiz/
plural of “baby” — a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading "Take care of the babies," indeed!
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
captain'snounUS /ˈkæptənz/
possessive form of “captain” — an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
captureverbUS /ˈkæptʃər/
succeed in representing or expressing something intangible
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading "Take care of the babies," indeed!
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
defencenounUS /dɪˈfens/
(psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
deferverbUS /dɪˈfɜːr/
hold back to a later time
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
dismounted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
gangnounUS /ɡæŋ/
an association of criminals
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
heart'snounUS /hɑːrts/
possessive form of “heart” — the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
howlingnounUS /ˈhaʊlɪŋ/
a long loud emotional utterance
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading "Take care of the babies," indeed!
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
Kate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
a particular point in time
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
ObedientadjectiveUS /oʊˈbiːdiənt/
dutifully complying with the commands or instructions of those in authority
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ON THE ALERT.
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
and nothing more
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
PikenounUS /paɪk/
a broad highway designed for high-speed traffic
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
cut with a saw
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
get rid of
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
sickeningadjectiveUS /ˈsɪkənɪŋ/
causing or able to cause nausea
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
carry out
From this reading "Take care of the babies," indeed!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ON THE ALERT.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading It could only defer the moment of their capture and then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old Kate?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
troopernounUS /ˈtruːpər/
a soldier in a motorized army unit
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
in the company of; together with
From this reading Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him ride away into darkness.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The old trooper would shed his heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang of howling Apaches?
