used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading OLD BOB TAKES A THRASHING.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
ambushverbUS /ˈæmbʊʃ/
wait in hiding to attack
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
past form of “approach” — move towards
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It was certainly Old Bob, however, who had been seen saddling the horse, and Morris concluded that the man before him was he.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
blindingadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪndɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
move up and down repeatedly
From this reading OLD BOB TAKES A THRASHING.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading It was certainly Old Bob, however, who had been seen saddling the horse, and Morris concluded that the man before him was he.
chieflyadverbUS /ˈtʃiːfli/
for the most part
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
having come or been brought to a conclusion
From this reading It was certainly Old Bob, however, who had been seen saddling the horse, and Morris concluded that the man before him was he.
lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
the act of departing
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
flakesnounUS /fleɪks/
plural of “flake” — a crystal of snow
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
set up or found
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
hardenedadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrdənd/
used of persons; emotionally hardened
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
heretoforeadverbUS /ˌhɪrtəˈfɔːr/
used in negative statement to describe a situation that has existed up to this point or up to the present time
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was certainly Old Bob, however, who had been seen saddling the horse, and Morris concluded that the man before him was he.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
hoofsnounUS /hʊfs/
plural of “hoof” — the foot of an ungulate mammal
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading It was certainly Old Bob, however, who had been seen saddling the horse, and Morris concluded that the man before him was he.
horse'snounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/
possessive form of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading It was certainly Old Bob, however, who had been seen saddling the horse, and Morris concluded that the man before him was he.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
resulting from one's intentions
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
Len's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading It was certainly Old Bob, however, who had been seen saddling the horse, and Morris concluded that the man before him was he.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
MorrisnounUS /ˈmɔːrəs/
United States suffragist in Wyoming (1814-1902)
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
not any; not one
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading OLD BOB TAKES A THRASHING.
an angry dispute
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
recognizeverbUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/
accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
ridernounUS /ˈraɪdər/
a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
saddlingverbUS /ˈsædəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “saddle” — put a saddle on
From this reading It was certainly Old Bob, however, who had been seen saddling the horse, and Morris concluded that the man before him was he.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
Scotty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It was certainly Old Bob, however, who had been seen saddling the horse, and Morris concluded that the man before him was he.
severitynounUS /sɪˈverɪti/
used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
softenedadjectiveUS /ˈsɔːfənd/
toned down
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
plural of “take” — the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
From this reading OLD BOB TAKES A THRASHING.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
THRASHINGnounUS /ˈθræʃɪŋ/
a sound defeat
From this reading OLD BOB TAKES A THRASHING.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
well-muffled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
which person or people
From this reading It was certainly Old Bob, however, who had been seen saddling the horse, and Morris concluded that the man before him was he.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading The snow so softened the trail that the sound of the horse’s hoofs were not heard until they had approached within a few feet of the ambush, and amid the blinding flakes, it was impossible to recognize the face of the well-muffled rider.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Morris had not to wait more than fifteen minutes after Len’s departure before he found his work at hand.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Had it been Scotty, he might have hardened his heart to almost any degree of severity, but heretofore he had had no quarrel with Bob, for whom he felt contempt chiefly, and he intended to let him off as easily as it would be safe to do.
