used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
to or in a foreign country
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
alertadjectiveUS /əˈlɜːrt/
engaged in or accustomed to close observation
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
ApachesnounUS /əˈpætʃiz/
plural of “apache” — any member of Athapaskan tribes that migrated to the southwestern desert (from Arizona to Texas and south into Mexico); fought a losing battle from 1861 to 1886 with the United States and were resettled in Oklahoma
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
averageadjectiveUS /ˈævərɪdʒ/
approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
CarlosnounUS /ˈkɑːrloʊs/
Venezuelan master terrorist raised by a Marxist-Leninist father; trained and worked with many terrorist groups (born in 1949)
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading Everybody carried a gun and was more or less handy with it.
citizennounUS /ˈsɪtəzən/
a native or naturalized member of a state or other political community
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
(United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
give a description of
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
the quality of being unlike or dissimilar
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
dispenseverbUS /dɪˈspens/
administer or bestow, as in small portions
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
eightiesnounUS /ˈeɪtiz/
the decade from 1880 to 1889
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
environmentnounUS /ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt/
the totality of surrounding conditions
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
at any time
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
every person
From this reading Everybody carried a gun and was more or less handy with it.
EVOLUTIONnounUS /ˌevəˈluːʃən/
a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage)
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
feeblyadverbUS /ˈfiːbli/
in a faint and feeble manner
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
GeronimonounUS /dʒəˈrɔːnɪmoʊ/
Apache chieftain who raided the white settlers in the Southwest as resistance to being confined to a reservation (1829-1909)
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
let have
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading Everybody carried a gun and was more or less handy with it.
gunningverbUS /ˈɡʌnɪŋ/
inflected form of “gun” — shoot with a gun
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
handyadjectiveUS /ˈhændi/
easy to reach
From this reading Everybody carried a gun and was more or less handy with it.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
not in action or at work
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
insecureadjectiveUS /ˈɪnsəkjər/
not firm or firmly fixed; likely to fail or give way
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Everybody carried a gun and was more or less handy with it.
Ju
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
law-abidingadjective
(of individuals) adhering strictly to laws and rules and customs
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading Everybody carried a gun and was more or less handy with it.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
MexiconounUS /ˈmeksəkoʊ/
a republic in southern North America; became independent from Spain in 1810
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Everybody carried a gun and was more or less handy with it.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
peace-lovingadjective
inclined or disposed to peace
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
ROBBERnounUS /ˈrɑːbər/
a thief who steals from someone by threatening violence
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
San
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
express in words
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
not often
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
create by training and teaching
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
trivialadjectiveUS /ˈtrɪviəl/
(informal) small and of little importance
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
under normal conditions
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
victimsnounUS /ˈvɪktəmz/
plural of “victim” — an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
VictorianounUS /vɪkˈtɔːriə/
queen of Great Britain and Ireland and empress of India from 1837 to 1901; the last Hanoverian ruler of England (1819-1901)
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE EVOLUTION OF A TRAIN ROBBER Life was never dull in Grant County, New Mexico, in the early eighties.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
at the time that
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
wherein
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To say that life then and there was insecure is to describe altogether too feebly a state of society and an environment wherein Death, in one violent form or another, was ever abroad, seldom long idle, always alert for victims.
whitesnounUS /waɪts/
plural of “white” — a Caucasian
From this reading When the San Carlos Apaches, under Victoria, Ju, or Geronimo, were not out gunning for the whites, the whites were usually out gunning for one another over some trivial difference.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading There was always something doing--usually something the average law-abiding, peace-loving citizen would have been glad enough to dispense with.
