used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading It was late in the afternoon when they reached it, so they decided to spend the night there.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
bluesnounUS /bluːz/
a type of folksong that originated among Black Americans at the beginning of the 20th century; has a melancholy sound from repeated use of blue notes
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The corral was down in places, but with a little work it was repaired sufficiently to hold the cattle they put in it.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
COLLECTINGnounUS /kəˈlektɪŋ/
the act of gathering something together
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
corralverbUS /kərˈæl/
enclose in a corral
From this reading The corral was down in places, but with a little work it was repaired sufficiently to hold the cattle they put in it.
CreeknounUS /kriːk/
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
DEBTnounUS /det/
the state of owing something (especially money)
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
recognizable; marked
From this reading It was late in the afternoon when they reached it, so they decided to spend the night there.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The corral was down in places, but with a little work it was repaired sufficiently to hold the cattle they put in it.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
fence-posts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
heartsickadjective
full of sorrow
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The corral was down in places, but with a little work it was repaired sufficiently to hold the cattle they put in it.
homesteadnounUS /ˈhoʊmsted/
the home and adjacent grounds occupied by a family
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
past form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was late in the afternoon when they reached it, so they decided to spend the night there.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was late in the afternoon when they reached it, so they decided to spend the night there.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading It was late in the afternoon when they reached it, so they decided to spend the night there.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The corral was down in places, but with a little work it was repaired sufficiently to hold the cattle they put in it.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It was late in the afternoon when they reached it, so they decided to spend the night there.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
Pinkey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The corral was down in places, but with a little work it was repaired sufficiently to hold the cattle they put in it.
prophesiedverbUS /ˈprɑːfəsaɪd/
inflected form of “prophesy” — predict or reveal through, or as if through, divine inspiration
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The corral was down in places, but with a little work it was repaired sufficiently to hold the cattle they put in it.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading It was late in the afternoon when they reached it, so they decided to spend the night there.
repairedverbUS /rɪˈperd/
past form of “repair” — restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken
From this reading The corral was down in places, but with a little work it was repaired sufficiently to hold the cattle they put in it.
cut with a saw
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
SkullnounUS /skʌl/
the bony skeleton of the head of vertebrates
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was late in the afternoon when they reached it, so they decided to spend the night there.
use up a period of time in a specific way
From this reading It was late in the afternoon when they reached it, so they decided to spend the night there.
strayverbUS /streɪ/
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
to a sufficient degree
From this reading The corral was down in places, but with a little work it was repaired sufficiently to hold the cattle they put in it.
tangledadjectiveUS /ˈtæŋɡəld/
in a confused mass
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
in or at that place or location
From this reading It was late in the afternoon when they reached it, so they decided to spend the night there.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was late in the afternoon when they reached it, so they decided to spend the night there.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
Wallie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was late in the afternoon when they reached it, so they decided to spend the night there.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading COLLECTING A BAD DEBT Wallie and Pinkey picked up a few stray cattle on their way to the homestead on Skull Creek.
weedsnounUS /wiːdz/
a black garment (dress) worn by a widow as a sign of mourning
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
wheat-field
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
at the time that
From this reading It was late in the afternoon when they reached it, so they decided to spend the night there.
in or at the place that
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
window-panes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
wirenounUS /ˈwaɪər/
ligament made of metal and used to fasten things or make cages or fences etc
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The corral was down in places, but with a little work it was repaired sufficiently to hold the cattle they put in it.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The corral was down in places, but with a little work it was repaired sufficiently to hold the cattle they put in it.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading As Pinkey had prophesied, it gave Wallie the "blues" to look at the place where he had worked so hard and from which he had hoped so much.
wreckagenounUS /ˈrekədʒ/
the remaining parts of something that has been wrecked
From this reading He felt heartsick as he saw the broken fence-posts and tangled wire, the weeds growing in his wheat-field, the broken window-panes, and the wreckage inside his cabin.
