used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
having fair knowledge of
From this reading He had spent many hours in the lava-caves, and deemed himself thoroughly acquainted with the tortuous, subterranean passages.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading But the best of hunters err at times, and McKay was not an exception.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For once in his life, at least, Donald McKay was disappointed.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading But the best of hunters err at times, and McKay was not an exception.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the best of hunters err at times, and McKay was not an exception.
confidentadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnfədənt/
having or marked by confidence or assurance
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
corridornounUS /ˈkɔːrədər/
an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
deemedverbUS /diːmd/
past form of “deem” — keep in mind or convey as a conviction or view
From this reading He had spent many hours in the lava-caves, and deemed himself thoroughly acquainted with the tortuous, subterranean passages.
DENnounUS /den/
the habitation of wild animals
From this reading IN THE LION’S DEN.
disappointingly unsuccessful
From this reading For once in his life, at least, Donald McKay was disappointed.
Donald
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For once in his life, at least, Donald McKay was disappointed.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
errverbUS /er/
to make a mistake or be incorrect
From this reading But the best of hunters err at times, and McKay was not an exception.
eventuallyadverbUS /ɪˈventʃəwəli/
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
exceptionnounUS /ɪkˈsepʃən/
a deliberate act of omission
From this reading But the best of hunters err at times, and McKay was not an exception.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For once in his life, at least, Donald McKay was disappointed.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had spent many hours in the lava-caves, and deemed himself thoroughly acquainted with the tortuous, subterranean passages.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He had spent many hours in the lava-caves, and deemed himself thoroughly acquainted with the tortuous, subterranean passages.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For once in his life, at least, Donald McKay was disappointed.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading He had spent many hours in the lava-caves, and deemed himself thoroughly acquainted with the tortuous, subterranean passages.
huntersnounUS /ˈhʌntərz/
plural of “hunter” — someone who hunts game
From this reading But the best of hunters err at times, and McKay was not an exception.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN THE LION’S DEN.
interceptingverbUS /ˌɪntərˈseptɪŋ/
-ing form of “intercept” — seize on its way
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
Klamaths
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
lava-caves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had spent many hours in the lava-caves, and deemed himself thoroughly acquainted with the tortuous, subterranean passages.
take somebody somewhere
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
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 For once in his life, at least, Donald McKay was disappointed.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading For once in his life, at least, Donald McKay was disappointed.
LION'SnounUS /ˈlaɪənz/
possessive form of “lion” — large gregarious predatory feline of Africa and India having a tawny coat with a shaggy mane in the male
From this reading IN THE LION’S DEN.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading He had spent many hours in the lava-caves, and deemed himself thoroughly acquainted with the tortuous, subterranean passages.
McKay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For once in his life, at least, Donald McKay was disappointed.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But the best of hunters err at times, and McKay was not an exception.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
on one occasion
From this reading For once in his life, at least, Donald McKay was disappointed.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
passagesnounUS /ˈpæsədʒəz/
plural of “passage” — the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading He had spent many hours in the lava-caves, and deemed himself thoroughly acquainted with the tortuous, subterranean passages.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading He had spent many hours in the lava-caves, and deemed himself thoroughly acquainted with the tortuous, subterranean passages.
subterraneanadjectiveUS /ˌsʌb.təˈreɪ.ni.ən/
Existing, occurring, or done under the earth's surface.
From this reading He had spent many hours in the lava-caves, and deemed himself thoroughly acquainted with the tortuous, subterranean passages.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IN THE LION’S DEN.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
in an exhaustive manner
From this reading He had spent many hours in the lava-caves, and deemed himself thoroughly acquainted with the tortuous, subterranean passages.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading But the best of hunters err at times, and McKay was not an exception.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
tolerablyadverb
in an acceptable (but not outstanding) manner
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
tortuousadjectiveUS /ˈtɔːrtʃəwəs/
highly complex or intricate and occasionally devious
From this reading He had spent many hours in the lava-caves, and deemed himself thoroughly acquainted with the tortuous, subterranean passages.
traversedverbUS /ˈtrævərst/
past form of “traverse” — travel across or pass over
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
twainnounUS /tweɪn/
two items of the same kind
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For once in his life, at least, Donald McKay was disappointed.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He was tolerably confident of intercepting the two Klamaths, and with this end in view, turned into a corridor which he thought would eventually lead him to the passage which the twain traversed.
