Chapter I · Chapter 1

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

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

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

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He laid a restraining hand upon the white nose of the horse following close at his heels.

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

a person whose head is bald or shaved

From this reading "Quit your crowdin', can't you, Baldy!"

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

marked by strong resentment or cynicism

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

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

From this reading "Quit your crowdin', can't you, Baldy!"

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading He laid a restraining hand upon the white nose of the horse following close at his heels.

unvarying in nature

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

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

From this reading "Quit your crowdin', can't you, Baldy!"

someone who is a detective

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

a boy or man

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

the act of fighting; any contest or struggle

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading He laid a restraining hand upon the white nose of the horse following close at his heels.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

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

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

a loud low dull continuous noise

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading He laid a restraining hand upon the white nose of the horse following close at his heels.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

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

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

plural of “heel” — the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation

From this reading He laid a restraining hand upon the white nose of the horse following close at his heels.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

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

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

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

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

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

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

set down according to a plan

From this reading He laid a restraining hand upon the white nose of the horse following close at his heels.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

beat thoroughly and conclusively in a competition or fight

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

raise from a lower to a higher position

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals

From this reading He laid a restraining hand upon the white nose of the horse following close at his heels.

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

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

plural of “peak” — the most extreme possible amount or value

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

put an end to a state or an activity

From this reading "Quit your crowdin', can't you, Baldy!"

-ing form of “restrain” — to close within bounds, or otherwise limit or deprive of free movement

From this reading He laid a restraining hand upon the white nose of the horse following close at his heels.

(botany) the usually underground organ that lacks buds or leaves or nodes; absorbs water and mineral salts; usually it anchors the plant to the ground

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

the condition of belonging to a particular place or group by virtue of social or ethnic or cultural lineage

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

a pass or ridge that slopes gently between two peaks (is shaped like a saddle)

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

a woman shepherd

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

-ing form of “sidle” — move unobtrusively or furtively

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

a thing, without saying which

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

not in physical motion

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

-ing form of “string” — thread on or as if on a string

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

an exchange of ideas via conversation

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

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

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

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

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

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

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

a track or mark left by something that has passed

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading He laid a restraining hand upon the white nose of the horse following close at his heels.

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

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

in a fanciful manner

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.

a Caucasian

From this reading He laid a restraining hand upon the white nose of the horse following close at his heels.

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading Author of "The Man from Bitter Roots," "The Fighting Shepherdess" "A fellow must have something against himself--he certainly must--to live down here year in and year out and never do a lick of work on a trail like this, that he's usin' constant.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Quit your crowdin', can't you, Baldy!"

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Gettin' off half a dozen times to lift the front end of your horse around a point, and then the back end--there's nothin' _to_ it!"

travel along a zigzag path

From this reading Grumbling to himself and talking whimsically to the three horses stringing behind him, Dick Kincaid picked his way down the zigzag, sidling trail which led from the saddleback between two peaks of the Bitter Root Mountains into the valley which still lay far below him.