Chapter XIII

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

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

commonly used or practiced; usual

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

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

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

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

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

being moved or acted upon by moving air or vapor

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

move up and down repeatedly

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

ammunition consisting of a cylindrical casing containing an explosive charge and a bullet; fired from a rifle or handgun

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

a steep high face of rock

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

the act of grasping

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

a hired hand who tends cattle and performs other duties on horseback

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

an explosive containing nitrate sensitized with nitroglycerin absorbed on wood pulp

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

lasting for a markedly brief time

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

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

From this reading Frank saw more.

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

plural of “fugitive” — someone who flees from an uncongenial situation

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

a quick look

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

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

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

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

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

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

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

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

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

and nothing more

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

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 He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

the act of departing

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

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

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

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

From this reading Frank saw more.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Frank was out of his own saddle in a second.

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Frank was out of his own saddle in a second.

a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

-ing form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

-ing form of “retreat” — pull back or move away or backward

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

put a saddle on

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

cut with a saw

From this reading Frank saw more.

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading Frank was out of his own saddle in a second.

disturbed psychologically as if by a physical jolt or shock

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

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

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

the season of growth

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

plural of “stirrup” — support consisting of metal loops into which rider's feet go

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

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

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

in or at that place or location

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

(of flora or fauna) likely in the near future to become endangered

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

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

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

unsteady in gait as from infirmity or old age

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

a track or mark left by something that has passed

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

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

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

a region marking a boundary

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

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

From this reading Frank was out of his own saddle in a second.

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

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.

at the time that

From this reading He knew that Sim, being an old cowman, and accustomed to leaving his saddle in a hurry when some peril threatened, had shaken his feet free from the stirrups.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

which person or people

From this reading SIM HAS A CLOSE CALL “Oh!” cried Bob, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of man and rider tottering on the verge of the broken cliff trail, which had evidently been blown away by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge placed there for that purpose by the retreating fugitives, in order to cut off pursuit.

marked by extreme lack of restraint or control

From this reading One wild spring, and the trail-finder managed to clutch hold of the rock, though his horse went plunging down into space.