used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE SCATTERING OF THE TRIBES Throughout the fight Tonty’s life hung upon a thread.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He was carried into the midst of the camp, where the chiefs gathered about him and heard his plea for peace.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Another Indian seized him by the hair; and a third raised his hat upon a gun.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Another Indian seized him by the hair; and a third raised his hat upon a gun.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Then one of the chiefs recognized him as a white man and intervened.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Another Indian seized him by the hair; and a third raised his hat upon a gun.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading He was carried into the midst of the camp, where the chiefs gathered about him and heard his plea for peace.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading He was carried into the midst of the camp, where the chiefs gathered about him and heard his plea for peace.
chiefsnounUS /tʃiːfs/
plural of “chief” — a person who is in charge
From this reading Then one of the chiefs recognized him as a white man and intervened.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading THE SCATTERING OF THE TRIBES Throughout the fight Tonty’s life hung upon a thread.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was carried into the midst of the camp, where the chiefs gathered about him and heard his plea for peace.
fortunatelyadverbUS /ˈfɔːrtʃənətli/
by good fortune
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
brought together in one place
From this reading He was carried into the midst of the camp, where the chiefs gathered about him and heard his plea for peace.
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading Another Indian seized him by the hair; and a third raised his hat upon a gun.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
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 Another Indian seized him by the hair; and a third raised his hat upon a gun.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading Another Indian seized him by the hair; and a third raised his hat upon a gun.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was carried into the midst of the camp, where the chiefs gathered about him and heard his plea for peace.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He was carried into the midst of the camp, where the chiefs gathered about him and heard his plea for peace.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Another Indian seized him by the hair; and a third raised his hat upon a gun.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading THE SCATTERING OF THE TRIBES Throughout the fight Tonty’s life hung upon a thread.
impetuousadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpetʃwəs/
characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading Another Indian seized him by the hair; and a third raised his hat upon a gun.
intervenedverbUS /ˌɪntərˈviːnd/
past form of “intervene” — get involved, so as to alter or hinder an action, or through force or threat of force
From this reading Then one of the chiefs recognized him as a white man and intervened.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He was carried into the midst of the camp, where the chiefs gathered about him and heard his plea for peace.
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading THE SCATTERING OF THE TRIBES Throughout the fight Tonty’s life hung upon a thread.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Then one of the chiefs recognized him as a white man and intervened.
the location of something surrounded by other things
From this reading He was carried into the midst of the camp, where the chiefs gathered about him and heard his plea for peace.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE SCATTERING OF THE TRIBES Throughout the fight Tonty’s life hung upon a thread.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Then one of the chiefs recognized him as a white man and intervened.
OnondaganounUS /ˌɑːnənˈdɔːɡə/
a member of the Iroquoian people formerly living between Lake Champlain and the Saint Lawrence River
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading He was carried into the midst of the camp, where the chiefs gathered about him and heard his plea for peace.
pleanounUS /pliː/
a humble request for help from someone in authority
From this reading He was carried into the midst of the camp, where the chiefs gathered about him and heard his plea for peace.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading Another Indian seized him by the hair; and a third raised his hat upon a gun.
generally approved or compelling recognition
From this reading Then one of the chiefs recognized him as a white man and intervened.
ribnounUS /rɪb/
support resembling the rib of an animal
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
SCATTERINGnounUS /ˈskætərɪŋ/
a small number (of something) dispersed haphazardly
From this reading THE SCATTERING OF THE TRIBES Throughout the fight Tonty’s life hung upon a thread.
past form of “seize” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Another Indian seized him by the hair; and a third raised his hat upon a gun.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
stabbedverbUS /stæbd/
inflected form of “stab” — use a knife on
From this reading An impetuous Onondaga had stabbed him in the side, but fortunately the knife had glanced from a rib.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SCATTERING OF THE TRIBES Throughout the fight Tonty’s life hung upon a thread.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then one of the chiefs recognized him as a white man and intervened.
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading Another Indian seized him by the hair; and a third raised his hat upon a gun.
threadverbUS /θred/
to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course
From this reading THE SCATTERING OF THE TRIBES Throughout the fight Tonty’s life hung upon a thread.
in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period
From this reading THE SCATTERING OF THE TRIBES Throughout the fight Tonty’s life hung upon a thread.
Tonty's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE SCATTERING OF THE TRIBES Throughout the fight Tonty’s life hung upon a thread.
TRIBESnounUS /traɪbz/
plural of “tribe” — a social division of (usually preliterate) people
From this reading THE SCATTERING OF THE TRIBES Throughout the fight Tonty’s life hung upon a thread.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading THE SCATTERING OF THE TRIBES Throughout the fight Tonty’s life hung upon a thread.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was carried into the midst of the camp, where the chiefs gathered about him and heard his plea for peace.
in or at the place that
From this reading He was carried into the midst of the camp, where the chiefs gathered about him and heard his plea for peace.
a Caucasian
From this reading Then one of the chiefs recognized him as a white man and intervened.
