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Chapter II
AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me. He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip. Yet I was not prepared for the sudden onslaught that had been made. Had I been, I might have parried his blow. But I did not intend to be subdued as easily as he imagined.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Yet I was not prepared for the sudden onslaught that had been made.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Had I been, I might have parried his blow.”
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading “Had I been, I might have parried his blow.”
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading “He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Yet I was not prepared for the sudden onslaught that had been made.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.”
but in spite of that
From this reading “Yet I was not prepared for the sudden onslaught that had been made.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But I did not intend to be subdued as easily as he imagined.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But I did not intend to be subdued as easily as he imagined.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Yet I was not prepared for the sudden onslaught that had been made.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had I been, I might have parried his blow.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But I did not intend to be subdued as easily as he imagined.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But I did not intend to be subdued as easily as he imagined.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I did not intend to be subdued as easily as he imagined.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Yet I was not prepared for the sudden onslaught that had been made.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Yet I was not prepared for the sudden onslaught that had been made.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had I been, I might have parried his blow.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Had I been, I might have parried his blow.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I did not intend to be subdued as easily as he imagined.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I did not intend to be subdued as easily as he imagined.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet I was not prepared for the sudden onslaught that had been made.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Had I been, I might have parried his blow.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet I was not prepared for the sudden onslaught that had been made.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had I been, I might have parried his blow.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet I was not prepared for the sudden onslaught that had been made.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I did not intend to be subdued as easily as he imagined.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Yet I was not prepared for the sudden onslaught that had been made.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Yet I was not prepared for the sudden onslaught that had been made.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a much larger fellow than myself, and always ready to fight any one he thought he could whip.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading AN ASSAULT ON THE ROAD I knew Duncan Woodward would not hesitate to attack me.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet I was not prepared for the sudden onslaught that had been made.
