used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
addingverbUS /ˈædɪŋ/
-ing form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
ancestorsnounUS /ˈænsestərz/
plural of “ancestor” — someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)
From this reading He fought blindly and with the spirit of his ancestors which ought long since to have been trained out of him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He fought blindly and with the spirit of his ancestors which ought long since to have been trained out of him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He fought blindly and with the spirit of his ancestors which ought long since to have been trained out of him.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
blindlyadverbUS /ˈblaɪndli/
without seeing or looking
From this reading He fought blindly and with the spirit of his ancestors which ought long since to have been trained out of him.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading So foot by foot he fought his way on and knew it not when brought to a standstill.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading So foot by foot he fought his way on and knew it not when brought to a standstill.
chokingadjectiveUS /ˈtʃoʊ.kɪŋ/
Causing difficulty in breathing.
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
without stop or interruption
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
past form of “dare” — take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading He was drunk with this idea.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
start firing a weapon
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading So foot by foot he fought his way on and knew it not when brought to a standstill.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading He fought blindly and with the spirit of his ancestors which ought long since to have been trained out of him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
a young female
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He fought blindly and with the spirit of his ancestors which ought long since to have been trained out of him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He fought blindly and with the spirit of his ancestors which ought long since to have been trained out of him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He was drunk with this idea.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
inspirationnounUS /ˌɪnspərˈeɪʃən/
arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading So foot by foot he fought his way on and knew it not when brought to a standstill.
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 _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
engage in
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
the force of workers available
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
motivenounUS /ˈmoʊtɪv/
the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading So foot by foot he fought his way on and knew it not when brought to a standstill.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading He fought blindly and with the spirit of his ancestors which ought long since to have been trained out of him.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
poundingnounUS /ˈpaʊndɪŋ/
repeated heavy blows
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
realizationnounUS /ˈriːləˈzeɪʃən/
coming to understand something clearly and distinctly
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
steal goods; take as spoils
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading He fought blindly and with the spirit of his ancestors which ought long since to have been trained out of him.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So foot by foot he fought his way on and knew it not when brought to a standstill.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading He fought blindly and with the spirit of his ancestors which ought long since to have been trained out of him.
spittingnounUS /ˈspɪtɪŋ/
the act of spitting (forcefully expelling saliva)
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
standstillnounUS /ˈstændstɪl/
a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible
From this reading So foot by foot he fought his way on and knew it not when brought to a standstill.
plural of “take” — the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
express in words
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
trainedadjectiveUS /treɪnd/
shaped or conditioned or disciplined by training; often used as a combining form
From this reading He fought blindly and with the spirit of his ancestors which ought long since to have been trained out of him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading So foot by foot he fought his way on and knew it not when brought to a standstill.
at the time that
From this reading So foot by foot he fought his way on and knew it not when brought to a standstill.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
which person or people
From this reading From the first he could make nothing out of the choking confusion of it all, finding his satisfaction, his motive, his inspiration in the realization that he was adding the might of his being to the force which was pounding the men who had dared to touch this girl.
WilsonnounUS /ˈwɪlsən/
author of the first novel by an African American that was published in the United States (1808-1870)
From this reading _The Priest Takes a Hand_ How long this continued--this pressing forward, following the spitting fire of his hot rifle--Wilson could not tell.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was drunk with this idea.
