used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
addingverbUS /ˈædɪŋ/
-ing form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading It was now late in the afternoon and the men were tired of battling with the wind which buffeted their sunburned faces with sharp sand.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
battlingverbUS /ˈbætəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “battle” — battle or contend against in or as if in a battle
From this reading It was now late in the afternoon and the men were tired of battling with the wind which buffeted their sunburned faces with sharp sand.
for the reason that
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
next to; at the side of
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
Blake'snounUS /bleɪks/
possessive form of “blake” — visionary British poet and painter (1757-1827)
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
blowingnounUS /ˈbloʊɪŋ/
processing that involves blowing a gas
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
inflected form of “buy” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
confined by bonds
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
buffetedadjectiveUS /bəˈfeɪd/
pounded or hit repeatedly by storms or adversities
From this reading It was now late in the afternoon and the men were tired of battling with the wind which buffeted their sunburned faces with sharp sand.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
CanadanounUS /ˈkænədə/
a nation in northern North America; the French were the first Europeans to settle in mainland Canada
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
cartnounUS /kɑːrt/
a heavy open wagon usually having two wheels and drawn by an animal
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
centraladjectiveUS /ˈsentrəl/
serving as an essential component
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
cheaperadjectiveUS /ˈtʃiːpər/
comparative of “cheap” — relatively low in price or charging low prices
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
clothing in general
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
dints
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
discomfortnounUS /dɪˈskʌmfərt/
the state of being tense and feeling pain
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading It was now late in the afternoon and the men were tired of battling with the wind which buffeted their sunburned faces with sharp sand.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
HardingnounUS /ˈhɑːrdɪŋ/
29th President of the United States; two of his appointees were involved in the Teapot Dome scandal (1865-1823)
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
jadedadjectiveUS /ˈdʒeɪdəd/
exhausted
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading It was now late in the afternoon and the men were tired of battling with the wind which buffeted their sunburned faces with sharp sand.
the act of departing
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
loadedadjectiveUS /ˈloʊdɪd/
filled with a great quantity
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
something that is lost
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
the force of workers available
From this reading It was now late in the afternoon and the men were tired of battling with the wind which buffeted their sunburned faces with sharp sand.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
northernadjectiveUS /ˈnɔːrðərn/
in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was now late in the afternoon and the men were tired of battling with the wind which buffeted their sunburned faces with sharp sand.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
yielding a fair profit
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
ploddedverbUS /ˈplɑːdɪd/
inflected form of “plod” — walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
ponynounUS /ˈpoʊniː/
a range horse of the western United States
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
poplarnounUS /ˈpɑːplər/
soft light-colored non-durable wood of the poplar
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
PRAIRIEnounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
preservedadjectiveUS /prəˈzɜːrvd/
prevented from decaying or spoiling and prepared for future use
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
provisionsnounUS /prəˈvɪʒənz/
a stock or supply of foods
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
railroadnounUS /ˈreɪlroʊd/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
scrubverbUS /skrʌb/
clean with hard rubbing
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
settlementnounUS /ˈsetəlmənt/
a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading It was now late in the afternoon and the men were tired of battling with the wind which buffeted their sunburned faces with sharp sand.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
SinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
plural of “stand” — a support or foundation
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
storesnounUS /stɔːrz/
plural of “store” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
stretchesnounUS /ˈstretʃəz/
plural of “stretch” — a large and unbroken expanse or distance
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
sunburnedadjectiveUS /ˈsʌnbɜːrnd/
suffering from overexposure to direct sunlight
From this reading It was now late in the afternoon and the men were tired of battling with the wind which buffeted their sunburned faces with sharp sand.
sweepverbUS /swiːp/
sweep across or over
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
possessing sweep
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was now late in the afternoon and the men were tired of battling with the wind which buffeted their sunburned faces with sharp sand.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading It was now late in the afternoon and the men were tired of battling with the wind which buffeted their sunburned faces with sharp sand.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
transportnounUS /trænˈspɔːrt/
something that serves as a means of transportation
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
wheelsnounUS /wiːlz/
plural of “wheel” — a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines)
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The settlement for which he and Harding were bound stands near the northern edge of the great sweep of grass which stretches across central Canada.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading THE PRAIRIE A strong breeze swept the wide plain, blowing fine sand about and adding to Blake's discomfort as he plodded beside a jaded Indian pony and a small cart.
wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading It was now late in the afternoon and the men were tired of battling with the wind which buffeted their sunburned faces with sharp sand.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
wiryadjectiveUS /ˈwɪri/
lean and sinewy
From this reading Since leaving the railroad they had spent four days upon the trail, which sometimes ran plain before them, marked by dints of wheels among the wiry grass, and sometimes died away, leaving them at a loss in a wilderness of sand and short poplar scrub.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The cart was loaded with preserved provisions, camp stores, and winter clothes; he had bought it and the pony because that seemed cheaper than paying for transport.
