Chapter XXIII · The First Buffalo

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

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

anew

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

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

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

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

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

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

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.

a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

-ing form of “bewilder” — be a mystery or bewildering to

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

possessive form of “black” — the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

plural of “body” — the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

past form of “cheer” — give encouragement to

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

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

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

turn up, loosen, or remove earth

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

(often used in combination) having a specified direction

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.

without deviation

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

increase by a factor of two

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

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

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

one or the other of two

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.

plural of “elk” — large northern deer with enormous flattened antlers in the male; called “elk” in Europe and “moose” in North America

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

plural of “engine” — motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

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

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading So the first named lad saw over the rise and out upon the plain.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

at or to or toward the front

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

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

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

the act of pounding (delivering repeated heavy blows)

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.

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

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.

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

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

either side of the body below the waist and above the thigh

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.

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

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

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

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.

a boy or man

From this reading So the first named lad saw over the rise and out upon the plain.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

staying power

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading So the first named lad saw over the rise and out upon the plain.

the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

above and across; more than

From this reading So the first named lad saw over the rise and out upon the plain.

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading So the first named lad saw over the rise and out upon the plain.

in the right manner; correctly; suitably

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.

past form of “rake” — move through with or as if with a rake

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.

move upward

From this reading So the first named lad saw over the rise and out upon the plain.

(of e.g. celestial bodies) above the horizon

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

cut with a saw

From this reading So the first named lad saw over the rise and out upon the plain.

the act of firing a projectile

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

being of delicate or slender build

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

an elevated geological formation

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So the first named lad saw over the rise and out upon the plain.

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

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

act of expanding by lengthening or widening

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

comparative of “tall” — great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

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

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

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

From this reading But they were a good shot, if not an easy one, for the boys were not directly behind them.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading So the first named lad saw over the rise and out upon the plain.

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

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

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

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

during the time that

From this reading Chet was taller than his chum and he had risen in his stirrups, while Dig lay out on the black’s neck and cheered him on.

in the company of; together with

From this reading The two elks were hammering down the slope, their slender legs doubling under their round bodies, and stretching out again with almost bewildering swiftness—like the driving-rods of fast-turning engines.

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

From this reading A ball, directed properly, would have raked either beast from forward of the hip into, and through, the heart.