used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
advancingadjectiveUS /ədˈvænsɪŋ/
moving forward
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
ascertainedadjectiveUS /ˌæsərˈteɪnd/
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
bridles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
Dorchester
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
opinion or judgment
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
many times at short intervals
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
hiltnounUS /hɪlt/
the handle of a sword or dagger
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
the act of retaining something
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
inquiringadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪərɪŋ/
given to inquiry
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
jailnounUS /dʒeɪl/
a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence)
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
a narrow way or road
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
the force of workers available
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
Ralph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
with speed
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
scabbardnounUS /ˈskæbərd/
a sheath for a sword or dagger or bayonet
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
for a short time
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading At length his sharp ear caught the sound of steps; and shortly after, the figures of two men appeared advancing at a quick pace.
Stilling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
treasonnounUS /ˈtriːzən/
a crime that undermines the offender's government
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
the act of testing something
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading From time to time he looked forward toward the prison, but more frequently kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
watchernounUS /ˈwɑːtʃər/
a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind)
From this reading The watcher did not move from the spot, but put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and ascertained that it moved easily in the scabbard.
at the time that
From this reading The two men he had seen came forward rapidly, and when quite close, one of them said, "Stilling?" in an inquiring tone.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
Woodhall's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oh the night after Ralph Woodhall's trial for treason, at the end of a lane, which at that time ran at the back of Dorchester jail, stood a man holding the bridles of two horses over his arm.
