Chapter VI · Chapter 6

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

later than; following

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

(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 were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

Having no one else present.

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

eagerly desirous

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "They cannot be far off," suggested Nick, turning to the left.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "They cannot be far off," suggested Nick, turning to the left.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading GROPING IN DARKNESS.

coming down freely under the influence of gravity

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading "They cannot be far off," suggested Nick, turning to the left.

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading "They have gone on to the woods to look for Nellie," said the father.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "They have gone on to the woods to look for Nellie," said the father.

plural of “fork” — cutlery used for serving and eating food

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

destroyed or killed

From this reading "They have gone on to the woods to look for Nellie," said the father.

acting with uncertainty or hesitance or lack of confidence

From this reading GROPING IN DARKNESS.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "They have gone on to the woods to look for Nellie," said the father.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading GROPING IN DARKNESS.

made greater in size or amount or degree

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

take somebody somewhere

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

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 "They cannot be far off," suggested Nick, turning to the left.

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading "They have gone on to the woods to look for Nellie," said the father.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

come together

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

cut slightly, with a razor

From this reading "They cannot be far off," suggested Nick, turning to the left.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading "They cannot be far off," suggested Nick, turning to the left.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "They have gone on to the woods to look for Nellie," said the father.

plural of “parent” — a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

plural of “party” — an organization to gain political power

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

done or occurring in a brief period of time

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "They have gone on to the woods to look for Nellie," said the father.

cut with a saw

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

past form of “suggest” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading "They cannot be far off," suggested Nick, turning to the left.

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

in or at that place or location

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

run at a moderately swift pace

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course

From this reading "They cannot be far off," suggested Nick, turning to the left.

the act of traveling by foot

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

at the time that

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected to meet there.

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading "They have gone on to the woods to look for Nellie," said the father.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.