used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
(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 The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
b'lieve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I think it's varmints, for I don't b'lieve he meant to wait there."
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
checkedadjectiveUS /tʃekt/
patterned with alternating squares of color
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
clumpnounUS /klʌmp/
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
someone who is a detective
From this reading "That's either Dick or a lot of varmints," he muttered.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I think it's varmints, for I don't b'lieve he meant to wait there."
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading However, it was a question easily settled.
one or the other of two
From this reading "That's either Dick or a lot of varmints," he muttered.
start firing a weapon
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
past form of “flash” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "I think it's varmints, for I don't b'lieve he meant to wait there."
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading However, it was a question easily settled.
ten 10s
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
hunternounUS /ˈhʌntər/
someone who hunts game
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I think it's varmints, for I don't b'lieve he meant to wait there."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading However, it was a question easily settled.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I think it's varmints, for I don't b'lieve he meant to wait there."
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading "That's either Dick or a lot of varmints," he muttered.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading "I think it's varmints, for I don't b'lieve he meant to wait there."
mustangnounUS /ˈmʌstæŋ/
small hardy range horse of the western plains descended from horses brought by the Spanish
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading "That's either Dick or a lot of varmints," he muttered.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
on one occasion
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading However, it was a question easily settled.
on the contrary
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
SCOUTSnounUS /skaʊts/
plural of “scout” — a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading THE TWO SCOUTS.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading However, it was a question easily settled.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
That's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's either Dick or a lot of varmints," he muttered.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE TWO SCOUTS.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "I think it's varmints, for I don't b'lieve he meant to wait there."
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I think it's varmints, for I don't b'lieve he meant to wait there."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I think it's varmints, for I don't b'lieve he meant to wait there."
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading THE TWO SCOUTS.
varmints
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's either Dick or a lot of varmints," he muttered.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading "I think it's varmints, for I don't b'lieve he meant to wait there."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
at the time that
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
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 The hunter was within a hundred yards or so of the clump of trees, when he suddenly checked his mustang, or rather the mustang checked himself, at the light of a camp fire, which all at once flashed out from among them.
