used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
audibleadjectiveUS /ˈɑːdəbəl/
heard or perceptible by the ear
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
lacking funds
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
chilledverbUS /tʃɪld/
past form of “chill” — depress or discourage
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
clearings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
collectedadjectiveUS /kəˈlektəd/
brought together in one place
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
crampedadjectiveUS /kræmpt/
constricted in size
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
crawledverbUS /krɔːld/
past form of “crawl” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
dark-faced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
operate or control a vehicle
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
the operator of a motor vehicle
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
exchangingverbUS /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “exchange” — give to, and receive from, one another
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
farmersnounUS /ˈfɑːrmərz/
plural of “farmer” — a person who operates a farm
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
habitants
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
JacksonnounUS /ˈdʒæksən/
English film actress who later became a member of British Parliament (born in 1936)
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
jocularities
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
come together
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
the force of workers available
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
not any; not one
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
OakleynounUS /ˈoʊkli/
United States sharpshooter who was featured in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show (1860-1926)
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
generally approved or compelling recognition
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
cut with a saw
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
sawmillnounUS /ˈsɔːmɪl/
a large sawing machine
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
shrieknounUS /ʃriːk/
sharp piercing cry
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
slouchingverbUS /ˈslaʊtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “slouch” — assume a drooping posture or carriage
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
splashedadjectiveUS /splæʃt/
(of a fluid) having been propelled about in flying drops or masses
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
sprucenounUS /spruːs/
light soft moderately strong wood of spruce trees; used especially for timbers and millwork
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
having a supporting base
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
male cat
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
the upper part of anything
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
twenty-mile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tom Jackson crawled out, cramped and chilled with the rough twenty-mile drive, and looked about anxiously for a familiar face.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
unpaintedadjectiveUS /ənˈpeɪntɪd/
not having makeup on
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
the act of using
From this reading The heavy spruce forest broke away into scattered clearings; the road began to show more sign of use.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
wheelsnounUS /wiːlz/
plural of “wheel” — a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines)
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
in or at the place that
From this reading The stage was standing opposite an unpainted frame hotel, where a group of men had collected to meet it.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The shriek of a sawmill began to be audible through the trees, and then the stage rolled into Oakley, splashed with mud from wheels to top, and the tired horses stopped.
woodsmennounUS /ˈwʊdzmən/
plural of “woodsman” — someone who lives in the woods
From this reading There were rough woodsmen, forest farmers, dark-faced French habitants, an Indian or two, slouching and silent; the driver as he got down from his seat was exchanging jocularities with some of these, but no one spoke to Tom, and he saw no one whom he recognized.
