Chapter II

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

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

(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 “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

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

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “Not so long at that,” Jack replied.

plural of “beauty” — the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading “They’re beauties all right, but it must have been a long time between bites,” Bob declared.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading “They’re beauties all right, but it must have been a long time between bites,” Bob declared.

plural of “bite” — a wound resulting from biting by an animal or a person

From this reading “They’re beauties all right, but it must have been a long time between bites,” Bob declared.

move up and down repeatedly

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

possessive form of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “They’re beauties all right, but it must have been a long time between bites,” Bob declared.

small room on a ship or boat where people sleep

From this reading THE VANISHING CABIN.

discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

made known or openly avowed

From this reading “They’re beauties all right, but it must have been a long time between bites,” Bob declared.

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

destroyed or killed

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “They’re beauties all right, but it must have been a long time between bites,” Bob declared.

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

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

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

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

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

a formal or official examination

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “They’re beauties all right, but it must have been a long time between bites,” Bob declared.

a small worthless amount

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

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 “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “They’re beauties all right, but it must have been a long time between bites,” Bob declared.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “Not so long at that,” Jack replied.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

inflected form of “reply” — react verbally

From this reading “Not so long at that,” Jack replied.

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

precisely, exactly

From this reading “They’re beauties all right, but it must have been a long time between bites,” Bob declared.

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading “Not so long at that,” Jack replied.

a lightweight cord

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “Not so long at that,” Jack replied.

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

From this reading THE VANISHING CABIN.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

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

From this reading “They’re beauties all right, but it must have been a long time between bites,” Bob declared.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading “They’re beauties all right, but it must have been a long time between bites,” Bob declared.

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

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

a sudden or mysterious disappearance

From this reading THE VANISHING CABIN.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading “Well, I got a few of them,” and Jack held up the string for his brother’s inspection.

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

From this reading “Seems to me you’ve been gone long enough to catch all the fish in the lake,” Bob greeted his brother on his return to the cabin.