used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
badgenounUS /bædʒ/
an emblem (a small piece of plastic or cloth or metal) that signifies your status (rank or membership or affiliation etc.)
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
barredadjectiveUS /bɑːrd/
preventing entry or exit or a course of action
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
deputy-sheriff's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
Deveril
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
glaredverbUS /ɡlerd/
past form of “glare” — look at with a fixed gaze
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
the act of departing
From this reading "In jail or out, the Mex is going to keep a shut mouth," he meditated.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "In jail or out, the Mex is going to keep a shut mouth," he meditated.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "In jail or out, the Mex is going to keep a shut mouth," he meditated.
jailnounUS /dʒeɪl/
a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence)
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading "In jail or out, the Mex is going to keep a shut mouth," he meditated.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
meditated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "In jail or out, the Mex is going to keep a shut mouth," he meditated.
the force of workers available
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
Mex
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "In jail or out, the Mex is going to keep a shut mouth," he meditated.
MexicalinounUS /ˌmeksɪˈkɑːli/
a city in northwestern Mexico near the California border
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading "In jail or out, the Mex is going to keep a shut mouth," he meditated.
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Deveril shrugged and went on.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "In jail or out, the Mex is going to keep a shut mouth," he meditated.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
prominentlyadverbUS /ˈprɑːmənəntli/
in a prominent way
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
steal goods; take as spoils
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
shruggedverbUS /ʃrʌɡd/
inflected form of “shrug” — raise one's shoulders to indicate indifference or resignation
From this reading Deveril shrugged and went on.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading "In jail or out, the Mex is going to keep a shut mouth," he meditated.
slitnounUS /slɪt/
a long narrow opening
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
make square
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
strivingnounUS /ˈstraɪvɪŋ/
an effortful attempt to attain a goal
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
throngnounUS /θrɔːŋ/
a large gathering of people
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
push forcefully
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
tight-jammed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "In jail or out, the Mex is going to keep a shut mouth," he meditated.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading There was a crowd of men, tight-jammed, about the little square stone jail as Deveril made his way toward his cabin.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Deveril shrugged and went on.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
which person or people
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Every man of them was striving for a glance through the barred slit of a window behind which Mexicali Joe glared out at them.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading In the throng Deveril marked a man who wore his deputy-sheriff's badge thrust prominently into notice and who carried a rifle across the hollow of his arm.
