used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was empty, at least of freight, and the floor appeared to have a thin covering of hay.
AdriannounUS /ˈeɪdriən/
Roman Emperor who was the adoptive son of Trajan; travelled throughout his empire to strengthen its frontiers and encourage learning and architecture; on a visit to Britain in 122 he ordered the construction of Hadrian's Wall (76-138)
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He had piled into an open box-car.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It was empty, at least of freight, and the floor appeared to have a thin covering of hay.
arrivingverbUS /ərˈaɪvɪŋ/
-ing form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He meant to be traveling while it was dark.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
box-car
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had piled into an open box-car.
coveringnounUS /ˈkʌvərɪŋ/
a natural object that covers or envelops
From this reading It was empty, at least of freight, and the floor appeared to have a thin covering of hay.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He meant to be traveling while it was dark.
the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading It was empty, at least of freight, and the floor appeared to have a thin covering of hay.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading It was empty, at least of freight, and the floor appeared to have a thin covering of hay.
freightnounUS /freɪt/
goods carried by a large vehicle
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had piled into an open box-car.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was empty, at least of freight, and the floor appeared to have a thin covering of hay.
haynounUS /heɪ/
grass mowed and cured for use as fodder
From this reading It was empty, at least of freight, and the floor appeared to have a thin covering of hay.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
headedadjectiveUS /ˈhedəd/
having a heading or course in a certain direction
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He had piled into an open box-car.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He meant to be traveling while it was dark.
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
Kurt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading It was empty, at least of freight, and the floor appeared to have a thin covering of hay.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading He meant to be traveling while it was dark.
attach to a support
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
not any; not one
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was empty, at least of freight, and the floor appeared to have a thin covering of hay.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
and nothing more
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading He had piled into an open box-car.
passenger-trains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
piledverbUS /paɪld/
past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks
From this reading He had piled into an open box-car.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading It was empty, at least of freight, and the floor appeared to have a thin covering of hay.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
travelingnounUS /ˈtrævəlɪŋ/
the act of going from one place to another
From this reading He meant to be traveling while it was dark.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He meant to be traveling while it was dark.
Wheatly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No passenger-trains ran at night and he wanted to put as much distance between him and Wheatly as possible before daylight.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He meant to be traveling while it was dark.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading Kurt rode to Adrian on that freight, and upon arriving in the yards there he jumped off, only to mount another, headed south.
