Chapter XV · An Attempt at an Armistice

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

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

having the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

a proposal for an appropriate course of action

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

later than; following

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

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

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

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

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

causing irritation or annoyance

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

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

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

the act of encamping and living in tents in a camp

From this reading Manson held that camping out in a private car was the right way to do it, and that a canvas tent was a delusion and a snare.

a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)

From this reading Manson held that camping out in a private car was the right way to do it, and that a canvas tent was a delusion and a snare.

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

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

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

inflected form of “compel” — force somebody to do something

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

past form of “construct” — make by combining materials and parts

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

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

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

-ing form of “curse” — utter obscenities or profanities

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

(psychology) an erroneous belief that is held in the face of evidence to the contrary

From this reading Manson held that camping out in a private car was the right way to do it, and that a canvas tent was a delusion and a snare.

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

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

the power to use something or someone

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Manson held that camping out in a private car was the right way to do it, and that a canvas tent was a delusion and a snare.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

From this reading “Back already?” exclaimed the general manager.

plural of “excuse” — a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

applying to all or most members of a category or group

From this reading “Back already?” exclaimed the general manager.

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

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

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

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

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading Manson held that camping out in a private car was the right way to do it, and that a canvas tent was a delusion and a snare.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

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

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

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

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

extremely silly or stupid

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

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

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

very generous

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

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

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

hear with intention

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

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 JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

someone who controls resources and expenditures

From this reading “Back already?” exclaimed the general manager.

Scottish physician who discovered that elephantiasis is spread by mosquitos and suggested that mosquitos also spread malaria (1844-1922)

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

used to form the superlative

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

make available or accessible, provide or furnish

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

on one occasion

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Manson held that camping out in a private car was the right way to do it, and that a canvas tent was a delusion and a snare.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

plural of “preparation” — the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.

to say, state, or perform again

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

precisely, exactly

From this reading Manson held that camping out in a private car was the right way to do it, and that a canvas tent was a delusion and a snare.

something (often something deceptively attractive) that catches you unawares

From this reading Manson held that camping out in a private car was the right way to do it, and that a canvas tent was a delusion and a snare.

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

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

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

an exchange of ideas via conversation

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)

From this reading Manson held that camping out in a private car was the right way to do it, and that a canvas tent was a delusion and a snare.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Manson held that camping out in a private car was the right way to do it, and that a canvas tent was a delusion and a snare.

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

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

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

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

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

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

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

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Manson held that camping out in a private car was the right way to do it, and that a canvas tent was a delusion and a snare.

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

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

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

which person or people

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

(politics) a state of disfavor

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

in the company of; together with

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading JOHN STEELE’S friends were amazed to find him back in town almost within a week after he had left with such lavish preparations for a long stay in the wilderness.

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading It was difficult for him to offer an adequate explanation, and it grew to be most annoying, once he had constructed his excuses, to be compelled to repeat them to every friend he met, and listen without cursing to the inane advice given by people who didn’t in the least know what they were talking about.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “What! back already?” cried Philip Manson, who had offered to place a private car at his disposal if he would keep close to the railway.