Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

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

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

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

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

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

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading In fact it would have been a little difficult to make at this point a path wide enough for two sleighs.

a structure or object that impedes free movement

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading The defile in the snow was so narrow that there could be no passing.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

a storm with widespread snowfall accompanied by strong winds

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

plural of “consequence” — a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The defile in the snow was so narrow that there could be no passing.

place under suspicion or cast doubt upon

From this reading The defile in the snow was so narrow that there could be no passing.

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading In fact it would have been a little difficult to make at this point a path wide enough for two sleighs.

plural of “drift” — a force that moves something along

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

one or the other of two

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading In fact it would have been a little difficult to make at this point a path wide enough for two sleighs.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading In fact it would have been a little difficult to make at this point a path wide enough for two sleighs.

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

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

cause to stop

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading In fact it would have been a little difficult to make at this point a path wide enough for two sleighs.

incapable of being passed

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

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

From this reading The defile in the snow was so narrow that there could be no passing.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading In fact it would have been a little difficult to make at this point a path wide enough for two sleighs.

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

From this reading In fact it would have been a little difficult to make at this point a path wide enough for two sleighs.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

engage in

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading The defile in the snow was so narrow that there could be no passing.

the condition of being essential or indispensable

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

not any; not one

From this reading The defile in the snow was so narrow that there could be no passing.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

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

From this reading The defile in the snow was so narrow that there could be no passing.

the time that has elapsed

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

a course of conduct

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

a column of wood or steel or concrete that is driven into the ground to provide support for a structure

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading In fact it would have been a little difficult to make at this point a path wide enough for two sleighs.

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

abounding in rocks or stones

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

plural of “sled” — a vehicle mounted on runners and pulled by horses or dogs; for transportation over snow

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

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

From this reading In fact it would have been a little difficult to make at this point a path wide enough for two sleighs.

precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals

From this reading The defile in the snow was so narrow that there could be no passing.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The defile in the snow was so narrow that there could be no passing.

to compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The defile in the snow was so narrow that there could be no passing.

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

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

in or at that place or location

From this reading The defile in the snow was so narrow that there could be no passing.

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

From this reading In fact it would have been a little difficult to make at this point a path wide enough for two sleighs.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

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

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

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

From this reading THE BLIZZARD The two other sleds had, as a matter of necessity, come to a halt behind the first one.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

plural of “vehicle” — a conveyance that transports people or objects

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

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

From this reading The defile in the snow was so narrow that there could be no passing.

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

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

at the time that

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

which person or people

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox

From this reading The road went between two rocky walls, and though in the summer, when there was no snow, two vehicles could squeeze past, in the winter the piling up of the snow on either side made an almost impassable barrier.

having or prompted by wisdom or discernment

From this reading Those who had broken the road through the drifts had not been wise enough to make a wide path, and now the consequences must be taken.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading In fact it would have been a little difficult to make at this point a path wide enough for two sleighs.