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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
all
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From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Author of “David and Goliath,” “The Box,” Etc.
any
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From this reading It was not a place that any one other than a recluse might have chosen for permanent domicile, but to Old Harmless it was Heaven.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
Author
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From this reading Author of “David and Goliath,” “The Box,” Etc.
beaten
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From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
became
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From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
Bill
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From this reading Uncle Bill loved his gulch, and David and Goliath loved Uncle Bill.
bitter
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From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
Box
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From this reading Author of “David and Goliath,” “The Box,” Etc.
burro
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From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was not a place that any one other than a recluse might have chosen for permanent domicile, but to Old Harmless it was Heaven.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
cabin
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From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
came
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From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
chosen
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From this reading It was not a place that any one other than a recluse might have chosen for permanent domicile, but to Old Harmless it was Heaven.
dangerous
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From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
David
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From this reading Author of “David and Goliath,” “The Box,” Etc.
distance
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From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
domicile
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From this reading It was not a place that any one other than a recluse might have chosen for permanent domicile, but to Old Harmless it was Heaven.
down
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From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
end
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From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
Etc
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From this reading Author of “David and Goliath,” “The Box,” Etc.
filled
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From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was not a place that any one other than a recluse might have chosen for permanent domicile, but to Old Harmless it was Heaven.
ford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
freshets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
Goliath
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From this reading Author of “David and Goliath,” “The Box,” Etc.
gulch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Uncle Bill loved his gulch, and David and Goliath loved Uncle Bill.
gurgling
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From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
Harmless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was not a place that any one other than a recluse might have chosen for permanent domicile, but to Old Harmless it was Heaven.
Heaven
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not a place that any one other than a recluse might have chosen for permanent domicile, but to Old Harmless it was Heaven.
high
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Uncle Bill loved his gulch, and David and Goliath loved Uncle Bill.
impunity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
intervening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
loved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Uncle Bill loved his gulch, and David and Goliath loved Uncle Bill.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
mountain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Author of “David and Goliath,” “The Box,” Etc.
Old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was not a place that any one other than a recluse might have chosen for permanent domicile, but to Old Harmless it was Heaven.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not a place that any one other than a recluse might have chosen for permanent domicile, but to Old Harmless it was Heaven.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
pack
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
permanent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not a place that any one other than a recluse might have chosen for permanent domicile, but to Old Harmless it was Heaven.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
promised
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
ran
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
recluse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not a place that any one other than a recluse might have chosen for permanent domicile, but to Old Harmless it was Heaven.
ridges
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
roads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
shelvesnounUS /ʃelvz/
Plural of shelf; the vast wooden or stone structures holding archives.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
slip
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
spring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
stick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
stream
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was not a place that any one other than a recluse might have chosen for permanent domicile, but to Old Harmless it was Heaven.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Author of “David and Goliath,” “The Box,” Etc.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
top
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
trouble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
Uncle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Uncle Bill loved his gulch, and David and Goliath loved Uncle Bill.
valleys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
wasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When trouble came they promised to stick by him to the bitter end--which wasn’t so bitter, after all.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was a long distance from the beaten roads to where “Old Harmless” had his cabin; quite over the top of ridges, down across intervening valleys, around mountain shelves where a pack burro might not slip with impunity, and with now and then a gurgling little stream to ford that became a dangerous place when spring freshets ran high and filled a gulch.
