used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
(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 All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
Barnes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
Charlie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
Dan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
dependedverbUS /dɪˈpendəd/
past form of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
dollarnounUS /ˈdɑːlər/
the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
the act of departing
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
Grande
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
Jim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
Jud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
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 To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
Leadville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
managementnounUS /ˈmænədʒmənt/
the act of managing something
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
McGUIRE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
the force of workers available
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
ouncenounUS /aʊns/
a unit of apothecary weight equal to 480 grains or one twelfth of a troy pound
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
outpostnounUS /ˈaʊtpoʊst/
a station in a remote or sparsely populated location
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
PUEBLOnounUS /pˈwebloʊ/
a member of any of about two dozen Native American peoples called “Pueblos” by the Spanish because they live in pueblos (villages built of adobe and rock)
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
railroadnounUS /ˈreɪlroʊd/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
reliableadjectiveUS /rɪˈlaɪəbəl/
worthy of reliance or trust
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
RileynounUS /ˈraɪli/
United States poet (1849-1916)
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
RionounUS /ˈriːoʊ/
the former capital and 2nd largest city of Brazil; chief Brazilian port; famous as a tourist attraction
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
RogersnounUS /ˈrɑːdʒərz/
United States humorist remembered for his homespun commentary on politics and American society (1879-1935)
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
scrappyadjectiveUS /ˈskræpi/
full of fighting spirit
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
signalsnounUS /ˈsɪɡnəlz/
plural of “signal” — any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
Silversmithnoun
someone who makes or repairs articles of silver
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
Snyder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
stayers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
Steve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
stormyadjectiveUS /ˈstɔːrmi/
(especially of weather) affected or characterized by storms or commotion
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
sweatingnounUS /ˈswetɪŋ/
the process of the sweat glands of the skin secreting a salty fluid
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
moving very fast
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
SWITCHINGnounUS /ˈswɪtʃɪŋ/
the act of changing one thing or position for another
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
switchmen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
terminatedadjectiveUS /ˈtɜːrməneɪtɪd/
having come or been brought to a conclusion
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
in or at that place or location
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
bound or secured closely
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
timersnounUS /ˈtaɪmərz/
plural of “timer” — a timepiece that measures a time interval and signals its end
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
male cat
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
toughadjectiveUS /tʌf/
not given to gentleness or sentimentality
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
trainsnounUS /treɪnz/
plural of “train” — public transport provided by a line of railway cars coupled together and drawn by a locomotive
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
at the time that
From this reading McGUIRE GOES SWITCHING PUEBLO was a tough town when the Rio Grande terminated at that point.
which person or people
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
belonging to which person
From this reading There were Dan Snyder, Steve Riley, Jud Rogers, Charlie Barnes, and Silversmith, old timers and stayers, whose signals were always safe, and upon these men the management depended to handle the trains and hold the “stormy” switchmen in line.
WilliamsnounUS /ˈwɪljəmz/
United States country singer and songwriter (1923-1953)
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value
From this reading All the good men were going into the mountains, for Leadville was then sweating silver that was worth more than a dollar an ounce.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading To be sure there were always a few reliable men who could railroad, who knew nothing else, and would do nothing else.
yardmasternoun
a railroad employer who is in charge of a railway yard
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading It was at this swift outpost on the edge of the west that Tom McGuire tied up and asked Jim Williams, the “scrappy” yardmaster, for a job, switching in the yards.
