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 I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

higher than, or over, something

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

moving forward

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

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

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Our progress, at first comparatively easy, became more and more difficult.

plural of “basin” — a bowl-shaped vessel; usually used for holding food or liquids

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading Our progress, at first comparatively easy, became more and more difficult.

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

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

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

in a relative manner; by comparison to something else

From this reading Our progress, at first comparatively easy, became more and more difficult.

freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

easily diffused or spread as from one person to another

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

An action of moving downward, dropping, or falling into a deeper place.

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading Our progress, at first comparatively easy, became more and more difficult.

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading Our progress, at first comparatively easy, became more and more difficult.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

having dropped by the force of gravity

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

oblivious of dangers or perils or calmly resolute in facing them

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

the experiencing of affective and emotional states

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Our progress, at first comparatively easy, became more and more difficult.

-ing form of “form” — create (as an entity)

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

plural of “fragment” — a piece broken off or cut off of something else

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

having frets

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

depressingly dark

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

overeat or eat immodestly; make a pig of oneself

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

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

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

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

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

a large number or amount

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

not accessible to view

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

plural of “impediment” — something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

plural of “interval” — a definite length of time marked off by two instants

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

a particular point in time

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Our progress, at first comparatively easy, became more and more difficult.

the property of being narrow; having little width

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

not any; not one

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

plural of “obstruction” — any structure that makes progress difficult

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

something offered (as a proposal or bid)

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

above and across; more than

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

win a victory over

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

the act of passing from one state or place to the next

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

fraught with danger

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

flowing profusely

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

gradual improvement or growth or development

From this reading Our progress, at first comparatively easy, became more and more difficult.

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

done or occurring in a brief period of time

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

a deep narrow steep-sided valley (especially one formed by running water)

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

the condition of belonging to a particular place or group by virtue of social or ethnic or cultural lineage

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

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

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

the act of splashing a (liquid) substance on a surface

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

the property possessed by a slope that is very steep

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

-ing form of “stumble” — walk unsteadily

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

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

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

in or at that place or location

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

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

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

a drinking mug in the shape of a stout man wearing a three-cornered hat

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

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 From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

a feeling of alarm or dread

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

characterized by a buoyant rhythm

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

walking with your feet in shallow water

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Perilous passage of the ravine—Descent into the valley The fearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt the Happar side of the question.

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading From the narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, there was no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumbling every moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface, or tripping against the huge roots of trees.

natural or artificial channel through which water flows

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

plural of “waterfall” — a steep descent of the water of a river

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading I could not, however, overcome a certain feeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomy solitudes.

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

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

to an extreme or greatly exaggerated degree

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

in the company of; together with

From this reading The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragments of broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so many obstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed and fretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouring over into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.