used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The ground was too wet to hold a scent.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading If Murdock's "dawgs" were brought out to chase him, they would become hopelessly muddled and lost.
befriendingverbUS /bɪˈfrendɪŋ/
-ing form of “befriend” — become friends with
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
a youthful male person
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading If Murdock's "dawgs" were brought out to chase him, they would become hopelessly muddled and lost.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
chaseverbUS /tʃeɪs/
go after with the intent to catch
From this reading If Murdock's "dawgs" were brought out to chase him, they would become hopelessly muddled and lost.
dawgs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
plural of “dog” — a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading Dogs for tracking down escaping slaves or Yankees.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Dogs for tracking down escaping slaves or Yankees.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
escapingverbUS /ɪˈskeɪpɪŋ/
-ing form of “escape” — run away from confinement
From this reading Dogs for tracking down escaping slaves or Yankees.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Dogs for tracking down escaping slaves or Yankees.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The ground was too wet to hold a scent.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The ground was too wet to hold a scent.
hopelesslyadverbUS /ˈhoʊpləsli/
in a hopeless manner
From this reading If Murdock's "dawgs" were brought out to chase him, they would become hopelessly muddled and lost.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If Murdock's "dawgs" were brought out to chase him, they would become hopelessly muddled and lost.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
plural of “keep” — the financial means whereby one lives
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
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 At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading If Murdock's "dawgs" were brought out to chase him, they would become hopelessly muddled and lost.
muddledadjectiveUS /ˈmʌdəld/
confused and vague; used especially of thinking
From this reading If Murdock's "dawgs" were brought out to chase him, they would become hopelessly muddled and lost.
Murdock's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
negronounUS /ˈniːɡroʊ/
a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Dogs for tracking down escaping slaves or Yankees.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading If Murdock's "dawgs" were brought out to chase him, they would become hopelessly muddled and lost.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
cut with a saw
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
scentnounUS /sɛnt/
A distinctive smell or aroma.
From this reading The ground was too wet to hold a scent.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
plural of “slave” — a person who is owned by someone
From this reading Dogs for tracking down escaping slaves or Yankees.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If Murdock's "dawgs" were brought out to chase him, they would become hopelessly muddled and lost.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
male cat
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The ground was too wet to hold a scent.
trackingnounUS /ˈtrækɪŋ/
the pursuit (of a person or animal) by following tracks or marks they left behind
From this reading Dogs for tracking down escaping slaves or Yankees.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading If Murdock's "dawgs" were brought out to chase him, they would become hopelessly muddled and lost.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading The ground was too wet to hold a scent.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Now, for the first time, it seemed to Tom that the rain which had fallen during the past week was befriending him.
the words that are spoken
From this reading At his left he saw Murdock's house, and the words of the negro boy came back to him: "He keeps dawgs."
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If Murdock's "dawgs" were brought out to chase him, they would become hopelessly muddled and lost.
YankeesnounUS /ˈjæŋkiz/
plural of “yankee” — an American who lives in the North (especially during the American Civil War)
From this reading Dogs for tracking down escaping slaves or Yankees.
