used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading THE CROSSING OF THE RIVER The river winds about considerably.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Turning back we retraced our steps, but not before we had seen two German patrols walking along the canal bank.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
attemptingverbUS /əˈtemptɪŋ/
-ing form of “attempt” — make an effort or attempt
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Turning back we retraced our steps, but not before we had seen two German patrols walking along the canal bank.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading Turning back we retraced our steps, but not before we had seen two German patrols walking along the canal bank.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Turning back we retraced our steps, but not before we had seen two German patrols walking along the canal bank.
canalnounUS /kəˈnæl/
(astronomy) an indistinct surface feature of Mars once thought to be a system of channels; they are now believed to be an optical illusion
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
considerablyadverbUS /kənˈsɪdərəbli/
to a great extent or degree
From this reading THE CROSSING OF THE RIVER The river winds about considerably.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
travel across or pass over
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
traveling across
From this reading THE CROSSING OF THE RIVER The river winds about considerably.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
a person of German nationality
From this reading Turning back we retraced our steps, but not before we had seen two German patrols walking along the canal bank.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Turning back we retraced our steps, but not before we had seen two German patrols walking along the canal bank.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
hiding-place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
intendingverbUS /ˌɪnˈtendɪŋ/
-ing form of “intend” — have in mind as a purpose
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
the act of departing
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
a particular point in time
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Turning back we retraced our steps, but not before we had seen two German patrols walking along the canal bank.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE CROSSING OF THE RIVER The river winds about considerably.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Turning back we retraced our steps, but not before we had seen two German patrols walking along the canal bank.
patrolsnounUS /pəˈtroʊlz/
plural of “patrol” — a detachment used for security or reconnaissance
From this reading Turning back we retraced our steps, but not before we had seen two German patrols walking along the canal bank.
just preceding something else in time or order
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
retracedverbUS /riˈtreɪst/
past form of “retrace” — to go back over again
From this reading Turning back we retraced our steps, but not before we had seen two German patrols walking along the canal bank.
precisely, exactly
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading THE CROSSING OF THE RIVER The river winds about considerably.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
Identical; not different.
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
cut with a saw
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
sentrynounUS /ˈsentri/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Turning back we retraced our steps, but not before we had seen two German patrols walking along the canal bank.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CROSSING OF THE RIVER The river winds about considerably.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Turning back we retraced our steps, but not before we had seen two German patrols walking along the canal bank.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Leaving our track we got back to our previous hiding-place, intending to wait until it was quite dark before attempting to cross the river some distance to the north.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading Turning back we retraced our steps, but not before we had seen two German patrols walking along the canal bank.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading It was into a canal that we suddenly walked on turning a corner of a rough track.
which person or people
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
plural of “wind” — air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading THE CROSSING OF THE RIVER The river winds about considerably.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A bridge lay right before us, with a sentry on it, who must have seen us at the same moment as we saw him.
