used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
backsnounUS /bæks/
plural of “back” — the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The grays had been ranch-bred.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
Billy'snounUS /ˈbɪliz/
possessive form of “billy” — a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading "_Crack!_" spoke Billy's rifle for the third time.
bitsnounUS /bɪts/
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
breakneckadjectiveUS /ˈbreɪknek/
moving at very high speed
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
buckverbUS /bʌk/
to strive with determination
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
bunchedverbUS /bʌntʃt/
past form of “bunch” — form into a bunch
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
CrackverbUS /kræk/
become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
From this reading "_Crack!_" spoke Billy's rifle for the third time.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "_Crack!_" spoke Billy's rifle for the third time.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
gallopverbUS /ˈɡæləp/
ride at a galloping pace
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
graspedverbUS /ɡræspt/
past form of “grasp” — hold firmly
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
graysnounUS /ɡreɪz/
plural of “gray” — a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading The grays had been ranch-bred.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
hunchedadjectiveUS /hʌntʃt/
having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
jumpsnounUS /dʒʌmps/
plural of “jump” — a sudden and decisive increase
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
lumberingnounUS /ˈlʌmbərɪŋ/
the trade of cutting or preparing or selling timber
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
pitchedadjectiveUS /pɪtʃt/
(of sound) set to a certain pitch or key; usually used as a combining form
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
ranch-bred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The grays had been ranch-bred.
reinsnounUS /reɪnz/
plural of “rein” — one of a pair of long straps (usually connected to the bit or the headpiece) used to control a horse
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
steal goods; take as spoils
From this reading "_Crack!_" spoke Billy's rifle for the third time.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
scoutnounUS /skaʊt/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
shelteringverbUS /ˈʃeltərɪŋ/
-ing form of “shelter” — provide shelter for
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
slowedverbUS /sloʊd/
past form of “slow” — lose velocity; move more slowly
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading "_Crack!_" spoke Billy's rifle for the third time.
not in physical motion
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
moving very fast
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "_Crack!_" spoke Billy's rifle for the third time.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading "_Crack!_" spoke Billy's rifle for the third time.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading "_Crack!_" spoke Billy's rifle for the third time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They bunched their feet, hunched their backs, and in three heavy buck jumps had slowed down from a breakneck run to a lumbering gallop.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
which person or people
From this reading The man who had fired the first shot pitched suddenly forward from behind his sheltering corner, and lay still.
WinchesternounUS /ˈwɪntʃestər/
a city in southern England; administrative center of Hampshire
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With one swift motion the scout dropped his Winchester in the seat, grasped the four reins, and threw his enormous weight against the bits.
