used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
highly skilled
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading But what after that?
Ah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ah! beyond that I did not trust myself to speculate.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
ascertainverbUS /ˌæsərˈteɪn/
establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Ah! beyond that I did not trust myself to speculate.
boundariesnounUS /ˈbaʊndəriz/
plural of “boundary” — the line or plane indicating the limit or extent of something
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
rid of obstructions
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
a female human offspring
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Ah! beyond that I did not trust myself to speculate.
to the same degree (often followed by “as”)
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
destroyed or killed
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
Holt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Ah! beyond that I did not trust myself to speculate.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
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 That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
MormonnounUS /ˈmɔːrmən/
the ancient prophet whose writings were revealed to Joseph Smith who founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading Ah! beyond that I did not trust myself to speculate.
neighbourhoodnounUS /ˈneɪbərhʊd/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Ah! beyond that I did not trust myself to speculate.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
overtakingnounUS /ˈoʊvərteɪkɪŋ/
going by something that is moving in order to get in front of it
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
roadsnounUS /roʊdz/
a partly sheltered anchorage
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
settlementnounUS /ˈsetəlmənt/
a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
speculateverbUS /ˈspekjəleɪt/
to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
From this reading Ah! beyond that I did not trust myself to speculate.
not in physical motion
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
a special situation
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)
From this reading Ah! beyond that I did not trust myself to speculate.
uncertainadjectiveUS /ənˈsɜːrtən/
lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But what after that?
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
in the company of; together with
From this reading That Holt and his daughter were gone, and in company with the Mormon, we knew: the letter told that.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If still within the boundaries of the settlement, or upon any of the roads leading from it, there would be a chance of _overtaking_ them.
but in spite of that
From this reading That they had left the cabin was equally known; but whether they were yet clear off from the neighbourhood, was still uncertain; and to ascertain this, was the first thing to be accomplished.
