Chapter II · Chapter 2

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

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

later than; following

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

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

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

completely unclothed

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

the sacred writings of the Christian religions

From this reading Gaspingly, Williams stumbled over the words on a ragged page that had been torn from a Bible.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

small room on a ship or boat where people sleep

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

(baseball) playing the position of catcher on a baseball team

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

breathe with great difficulty, as when experiencing a strong emotion

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

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

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

the boundary of a surface

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

anything that contributes causally to a result

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

decreasing in amount or degree

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

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

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

turned into ice; affected by freezing or by long and severe cold

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

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

From this reading Gaspingly, Williams stumbled over the words on a ragged page that had been torn from a Bible.

past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

any creature of exceptional size

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

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

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

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

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

immediately past

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

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

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

below the surround or below the normal position

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

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

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

an utterance expressing pain or disapproval

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

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

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Gaspingly, Williams stumbled over the words on a ragged page that had been torn from a Bible.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

above and across; more than

From this reading Gaspingly, Williams stumbled over the words on a ragged page that had been torn from a Bible.

one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains

From this reading Gaspingly, Williams stumbled over the words on a ragged page that had been torn from a Bible.

(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

affix in a public place or for public notice

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn

From this reading Gaspingly, Williams stumbled over the words on a ragged page that had been torn from a Bible.

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

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

used of hair; thick and poorly groomed

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

convulsive gasp made while weeping

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

light soft moderately strong wood of spruce trees; used especially for timbers and millwork

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

past form of “stumble” — walk unsteadily

From this reading Gaspingly, Williams stumbled over the words on a ragged page that had been torn from a Bible.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

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

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

closely constrained or constricted or constricting

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

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

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

having edges that are jagged from injury

From this reading Gaspingly, Williams stumbled over the words on a ragged page that had been torn from a Bible.

of imposing height; especially standing out above others

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

put down or press the foot, place the foot

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

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

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

in or at the place that

From this reading After that they carried her to where a clearing had been cut in the edge of the forest; and at the foot of a giant spruce, towering sentinel-like to the sky, they lowered her into the frozen earth.

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading LITTLE MELISSE The passing of Cummins' wife was as quiet as had been her coming.

to an extreme or greatly exaggerated degree

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

United States country singer and songwriter (1923-1953)

From this reading There was but one sound other than the gentle tread of their moccasined feet, and that was a catching, sobbing moan that fell from the thick gray beard of Williams, the old factor.

in the company of; together with

From this reading With bare heads, their shaggy hair falling wildly about their faces, their lips set tight to choke back their grief, the few at the post went, one by one, into the little cabin, and gazed for the last time upon her face.

the words that are spoken

From this reading Gaspingly, Williams stumbled over the words on a ragged page that had been torn from a Bible.