Chapter IV · Chapter 4

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading "Now all too long we've felt the yoke, And cringed and fawned and died!

projectiles to be fired from a gun

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

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

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

a narrative song with a recurrent refrain

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

next to; at the side of

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

plural of “box” — a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

the act of breaking something

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

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

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

past form of “cringe” — draw back, as with fear or pain

From this reading "Now all too long we've felt the yoke, And cringed and fawned and died!

having or marked by a curve or smoothly rounded bend

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading "Now all too long we've felt the yoke, And cringed and fawned and died!

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

the act of conducting a controlled test or investigation

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

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

From this reading "Now all too long we've felt the yoke, And cringed and fawned and died!

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading "Now all too long we've felt the yoke, And cringed and fawned and died!

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

set up or found

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

ride at a galloping pace

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

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

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

in a grim implacable manner

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

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

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

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

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

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

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

third-person singular of “hear” — perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

prevent from being seen or discovered

From this reading 'Tis time we turned upon the squire, To skin his rotten hide!"

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

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

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

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

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

an opening into or through something

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

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

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

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

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

inflected form of “lie” — be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

held up in the air

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

weight to be borne or conveyed

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading "Now all too long we've felt the yoke, And cringed and fawned and died!

the expensive fur of a mink

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

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

From this reading "Now all too long we've felt the yoke, And cringed and fawned and died!

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

To move from a closed position.

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

select carefully from a group

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

plural of “pocket” — a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

having a point

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

a prediction made by extrapolating from past observations

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

past form of “replace” — substitute a person or thing for (another that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working or yielding what is expected)

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

take delight in

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

very bad

From this reading 'Tis time we turned upon the squire, To skin his rotten hide!"

a crowd especially of ordinary or undistinguished persons or things

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

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

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

plural of “see” — the seat within a bishop's diocese where his cathedral is located

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

hit with a missile from a weapon

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

inflected form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch

From this reading 'Tis time we turned upon the squire, To skin his rotten hide!"

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

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

a person, without saying who

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

a thing, without saying which

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

young nobleman attendant on a knight

From this reading 'Tis time we turned upon the squire, To skin his rotten hide!"

filled with something

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

possessive form of “sun” — the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

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

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

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

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading 'Tis time we turned upon the squire, To skin his rotten hide!"

plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite

From this reading 'Tis time we turned upon the squire, To skin his rotten hide!"

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

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading "Now all too long we've felt the yoke, And cringed and fawned and died!

an inherited pattern of thought or action

From this reading Experiment had shown him how to load, and tradition of the ruck told him that to shoot, one pointed the end at something (or someone, he told himself grimly) and pulled the small curved projection.

moved around an axis or center

From this reading 'Tis time we turned upon the squire, To skin his rotten hide!"

a formal word for “on”

From this reading 'Tis time we turned upon the squire, To skin his rotten hide!"

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

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

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading 'Tis time we turned upon the squire, To skin his rotten hide!"

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

From this reading "Now all too long we've felt the yoke, And cringed and fawned and died!

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

-ing form of “whoop” — shout, as if with joy or enthusiasm

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

in the company of; together with

From this reading --Ruck's Ballad of the Mink Revel was sitting beside the hole in the wall, now filled with rocks, of course; he had replaced the four small guns in his belt and found, by breaking open the chest they'd lain on, a number of boxes of ammunition, with which he'd stuffed his pockets.

a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition

From this reading The Mink has come to the bright sun's light, His pick is lifted high; He hears the gentry's whooping yell, And sees them gallop by.

fabric comprising a fitted part at the top of a garment

From this reading "Now all too long we've felt the yoke, And cringed and fawned and died!