used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
(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 And yet they knew that all was not well with him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
bossnounUS /bɑːs/
a person who exercises control over workers
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
bywordnounUS /ˈbaɪwɜːrd/
a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
plural of “difficulty” — an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
past form of “flash” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
moving swiftly
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
death of a person
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
Harkness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
humornounUS /ˈhjuːmər/
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
and nothing more
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading And yet they knew that all was not well with him.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
not any; not one
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And yet they knew that all was not well with him.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading And so they knew that the thing which was troubling him now was not ordinary.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
outfitnounUS /ˈaʊtfɪt/
any cohesive unit such as a military company
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
passionsnounUS /ˈpæʃənz/
plural of “passion” — a strong feeling or emotion
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
ranchhouse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
Randerson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
replaceverbUS /ˌriːˈpleɪs/
substitute a person or thing for (another that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working or yielding what is expected)
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
serenitynounUS /səˈren.ə.t̬i/
The state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled by external storms.
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
shortenedadjectiveUS /ˈʃɔːrtənd/
cut short
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And so they knew that the thing which was troubling him now was not ordinary.
somberadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːmbər/
lacking brightness or color; dull
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
in the near future
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And yet they knew that all was not well with him.
a special situation
From this reading And so they knew that the thing which was troubling him now was not ordinary.
thoughtfuladjectiveUS /ˈθɔːtfəl/
having intellectual depth
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
troublingadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌbəlɪŋ/
causing distress or worry or anxiety
From this reading And so they knew that the thing which was troubling him now was not ordinary.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
a heavy grey-white metallic element; the pure form is used mainly in electrical applications; it is found in several ores including wolframite and scheelite
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And yet they knew that all was not well with him.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
(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 And yet they knew that all was not well with him.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading And so they knew that the thing which was troubling him now was not ordinary.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
wholesomeadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊlsəm/
conducive to or characteristic of physical or moral well-being
From this reading For in other days his dry humor, his love of wholesome fun, had shortened many an hour for them, and his serenity, in ordinary difficulties, had become a byword to them.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He went his way, thoughtful, silent, grave, filled with somber thoughts and dark passions that sometimes flashed in his eyes, but taking no man into his confidence.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading ONE TOO MANY To no man in the outfit did Randerson whisper a word concerning the result of his visit to the ranchhouse--that he would cease to be the Flying W range boss just as soon as Ruth Harkness could find a man to replace him.
but in spite of that
From this reading And yet they knew that all was not well with him.
