used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He saw two horsemen approaching, both well mounted, coming on at a handsome gait.
at or in the front
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
(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 Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading BURR AND MR.
the event of one object coming closer to another
From this reading He saw two horsemen approaching, both well mounted, coming on at a handsome gait.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He saw two horsemen approaching, both well mounted, coming on at a handsome gait.
beatsnounUS /biːts/
a United States youth subculture of the 1950s; rejected possessions or regular work or traditional dress; for communal living and psychedelic drugs and anarchism; favored modern forms of jazz (e.g., bebop)
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
the two together, not just one
From this reading He saw two horsemen approaching, both well mounted, coming on at a handsome gait.
BURRnounUS /bɜːr/
seed vessel having hooks or prickles
From this reading BURR AND MR.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading He saw two horsemen approaching, both well mounted, coming on at a handsome gait.
elderlyadjectiveUS /ˈeldərli/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
the activity of exerting your muscles in various ways to keep fit
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
floridadjectiveUS /ˈflɔːrəd/
elaborately or excessively ornamented
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
gaitnounUS /ɡeɪt/
the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
From this reading He saw two horsemen approaching, both well mounted, coming on at a handsome gait.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion
From this reading He saw two horsemen approaching, both well mounted, coming on at a handsome gait.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
hoofnounUS /huːf/
the foot of an ungulate mammal
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
horsemennounUS /ˈhɔːrsmən/
plural of “horseman” — a man skilled in equitation
From this reading He saw two horsemen approaching, both well mounted, coming on at a handsome gait.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
mottledadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːtəld/
having spots or patches of color
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
assembled for use; especially by being attached to a support
From this reading He saw two horsemen approaching, both well mounted, coming on at a handsome gait.
a form of address for a man
From this reading MR.
not any; not one
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
redderadjectiveUS /ˈredər/
comparative of “red” — of a color at the end of the color spectrum (next to orange); resembling the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
roadwaynounUS /ˈroʊdweɪ/
a road (especially that part of a road) over which vehicles travel
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
cut with a saw
From this reading He saw two horsemen approaching, both well mounted, coming on at a handsome gait.
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
shelteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃeltərd/
protected from danger or bad weather
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
slackenedverbUS /ˈslækənd/
past form of “slacken” — become slow or slower
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
move hurridly
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
dependable
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
VirginiannounUS /vərˈdʒɪnjən/
a native or resident of Virginia
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
(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 He saw two horsemen approaching, both well mounted, coming on at a handsome gait.
well-nighadverb
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
at the time that
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
which person or people
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Of these, one was a stout and elderly man of no special shape at all, who sat his horse with small grace, his florid face redder for his exercise, his cheeks mottled with good living and hard riding.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading MERRY The young Virginian had well-nigh made his way out over the two miles or so of sheltered roadway, when he heard hoof beats on ahead, and slackened his own speed.
