Chapter IX · Chapter 9

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

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

commonly used or practiced; usual

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

Having no one else present.

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

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

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

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

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

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

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

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

From this reading One hundred thousand dollars must be paid for his release.

plural of “bill” — a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

move up and down repeatedly

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

of short duration or distance

From this reading The missive was brief: "Sir, this is to inform you that Mr. John Hampton is held in a secure place.

take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

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

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

prepare a hot meal

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

constricted in size

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

a situation in which people or things are crowded together

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

plural of “dollar” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents

From this reading One hundred thousand dollars must be paid for his release.

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

with eagerness; in an eager manner

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading One hundred thousand dollars must be paid for his release.

of concern to or concerning the affairs of other nations (other than your own)

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

full of trivial conversation

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

brought together in one place

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

a person of German nationality

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

destroyed or killed

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

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

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

United States musician who was the first to use the vibraphone as a jazz instrument (1913-2002)

From this reading The missive was brief: "Sir, this is to inform you that Mr. John Hampton is held in a secure place.

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading The missive was brief: "Sir, this is to inform you that Mr. John Hampton is held in a secure place.

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

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

ten 10s

From this reading One hundred thousand dollars must be paid for his release.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

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

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to

From this reading The missive was brief: "Sir, this is to inform you that Mr. John Hampton is held in a secure place.

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

From this reading The missive was brief: "Sir, this is to inform you that Mr. John Hampton is held in a secure place.

a small worthless amount

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading The missive was brief: "Sir, this is to inform you that Mr. John Hampton is held in a secure place.

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

the literary culture

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

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

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

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

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

come together

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

a person who carries a message

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

a native or inhabitant of Mexico

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

a form of address for a man

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading One hundred thousand dollars must be paid for his release.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One hundred thousand dollars must be paid for his release.

above and across; more than

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

marked by the reception of pay

From this reading One hundred thousand dollars must be paid for his release.

an organization to gain political power

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

a writing implement with a point from which ink flows

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

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

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading The missive was brief: "Sir, this is to inform you that Mr. John Hampton is held in a secure place.

farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

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

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

interpret something that is written or printed

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

release, as from one's grip

From this reading One hundred thousand dollars must be paid for his release.

the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

a written version of a play or other dramatic composition; used in preparing for a performance

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

get by special effort

From this reading The missive was brief: "Sir, this is to inform you that Mr. John Hampton is held in a secure place.

plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

term of address for a man

From this reading The missive was brief: "Sir, this is to inform you that Mr. John Hampton is held in a secure place.

plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The missive was brief: "Sir, this is to inform you that Mr. John Hampton is held in a secure place.

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

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

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

From this reading The missive was brief: "Sir, this is to inform you that Mr. John Hampton is held in a secure place.

the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100

From this reading One hundred thousand dollars must be paid for his release.

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

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

the present time or age

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

a track or mark left by something that has passed

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

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

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

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

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading A man riding alone must bring the money in United States bills of one thousand dollars each to the Calomares ranch two weeks from today.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

which person or people

From this reading ON THE DESERT TRAIL Eagerly Mr. Temple, Bob and Frank gathered around Jack, crowding to read over his shoulders the missive left at camp by a messenger in an airplane and brought to Ransome by Gabby Pete, the camp cook, following Jack, who had gone to the little New Mexican town to meet the party from the East.

past form of “wield” — have and exercise

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

the act of creating written works

From this reading The writing was cramped and foreign, as if the pen were wielded by a hand more accustomed to form German script than English letters.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading The missive was brief: "Sir, this is to inform you that Mr. John Hampton is held in a secure place.