Chapter XIV · Fire and Smoke

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

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

put in effect

From this reading What he could accomplish alone and unaided was a question which troubled him vaguely.

Having no one else present.

From this reading What he could accomplish alone and unaided was a question which troubled him vaguely.

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

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

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

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

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

From this reading There was not the slightest glare to be seen in the direction of the mill.

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Presently he slackened his pace a little, and a puzzled wrinkle came into his forehead.

past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

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

From this reading What he could accomplish alone and unaided was a question which troubled him vaguely.

(of hair) having curls or waves

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

a line leading to a place or point

From this reading There was not the slightest glare to be seen in the direction of the mill.

the act of fighting; any contest or struggle

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

the part of the face above the eyes

From this reading Presently he slackened his pace a little, and a puzzled wrinkle came into his forehead.

set up or found

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted

From this reading There was not the slightest glare to be seen in the direction of the mill.

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

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

not wearing a hat

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

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

From this reading What he could accomplish alone and unaided was a question which troubled him vaguely.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading What he could accomplish alone and unaided was a question which troubled him vaguely.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

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

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Presently he slackened his pace a little, and a puzzled wrinkle came into his forehead.

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

the literary culture

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

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

From this reading Presently he slackened his pace a little, and a puzzled wrinkle came into his forehead.

inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

move about in a confused manner

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading There was not the slightest glare to be seen in the direction of the mill.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

and nothing more

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

the rate of moving (especially walking or running)

From this reading Presently he slackened his pace a little, and a puzzled wrinkle came into his forehead.

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

in the near future

From this reading Presently he slackened his pace a little, and a puzzled wrinkle came into his forehead.

past form of “prevent” — keep from happening or arising; make impossible

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

filled with bewilderment

From this reading Presently he slackened his pace a little, and a puzzled wrinkle came into his forehead.

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading What he could accomplish alone and unaided was a question which troubled him vaguely.

the bank of a river

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

a small fragment of something broken off from the whole

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading There was not the slightest glare to be seen in the direction of the mill.

past form of “slacken” — become slow or slower

From this reading Presently he slackened his pace a little, and a puzzled wrinkle came into his forehead.

superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some

From this reading There was not the slightest glare to be seen in the direction of the mill.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

in a swift manner

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

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

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There was not the slightest glare to be seen in the direction of the mill.

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

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

in the direction of

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need

From this reading What he could accomplish alone and unaided was a question which troubled him vaguely.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

carried out without aid or assistance

From this reading What he could accomplish alone and unaided was a question which troubled him vaguely.

in a vague way

From this reading What he could accomplish alone and unaided was a question which troubled him vaguely.

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

From this reading What he could accomplish alone and unaided was a question which troubled him vaguely.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What he could accomplish alone and unaided was a question which troubled him vaguely.

in or at the place that

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

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

From this reading What he could accomplish alone and unaided was a question which troubled him vaguely.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Curly found himself, hatless, and with two letters and a scrap of paper clasped in one hand, running swiftly toward that portion of the riverbank where stood the Bainbridge mill.

the basic human power of intelligent thought and perception

From this reading He meant, at least, to give the best that was in him toward fighting a calamity he might have prevented if only he had kept his wits about him.

gather or contract into wrinkles or folds; pucker

From this reading Presently he slackened his pace a little, and a puzzled wrinkle came into his forehead.