used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A few French fusileers had fallen, half a dozen had been taken prisoners, and the others had fled in wild disorder to the forest.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading Frederic's cry of alarm had broken up their plan of moving on in perfect silence to the castle, and the hand-to-hand fight in the grotto had been of short duration.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An hour had passed, the fight had proved shorter and less serious than had been apprehended.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading An hour had passed, the fight had proved shorter and less serious than had been apprehended.
apprehendedadjectiveUS /ˌæprɪˈhendɪd/
fully understood or grasped
From this reading An hour had passed, the fight had proved shorter and less serious than had been apprehended.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading An hour had passed, the fight had proved shorter and less serious than had been apprehended.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading The Sacrifice of Blood.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Frederic's cry of alarm had broken up their plan of moving on in perfect silence to the castle, and the hand-to-hand fight in the grotto had been of short duration.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
capturingverbUS /ˈkæptʃərɪŋ/
-ing form of “capture” — succeed in representing or expressing something intangible
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
a large and stately mansion
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading Frederic's cry of alarm had broken up their plan of moving on in perfect silence to the castle, and the hand-to-hand fight in the grotto had been of short duration.
disordernounUS /dɪˈsɔːrdər/
a physical condition in which there is a disturbance of normal functioning
From this reading A few French fusileers had fallen, half a dozen had been taken prisoners, and the others had fled in wild disorder to the forest.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading A few French fusileers had fallen, half a dozen had been taken prisoners, and the others had fled in wild disorder to the forest.
durationnounUS /ˈdʊˈreɪʃən/
the period of time during which something continues
From this reading Frederic's cry of alarm had broken up their plan of moving on in perfect silence to the castle, and the hand-to-hand fight in the grotto had been of short duration.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
an opposing military force
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading A few French fusileers had fallen, half a dozen had been taken prisoners, and the others had fled in wild disorder to the forest.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few French fusileers had fallen, half a dozen had been taken prisoners, and the others had fled in wild disorder to the forest.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading An hour had passed, the fight had proved shorter and less serious than had been apprehended.
inflected form of “flee” — run away quickly
From this reading A few French fusileers had fallen, half a dozen had been taken prisoners, and the others had fled in wild disorder to the forest.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
Frederic's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Frederic's cry of alarm had broken up their plan of moving on in perfect silence to the castle, and the hand-to-hand fight in the grotto had been of short duration.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading A few French fusileers had fallen, half a dozen had been taken prisoners, and the others had fled in wild disorder to the forest.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
fusileers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few French fusileers had fallen, half a dozen had been taken prisoners, and the others had fled in wild disorder to the forest.
a group of persons together in one place
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
a person of German nationality
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
grottonounUS /ˈɡrɑːtoʊ/
a small cave (usually with attractive features)
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading An hour had passed, the fight had proved shorter and less serious than had been apprehended.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading A few French fusileers had fallen, half a dozen had been taken prisoners, and the others had fled in wild disorder to the forest.
hand-to-handadjective
being at close quarters
From this reading Frederic's cry of alarm had broken up their plan of moving on in perfect silence to the castle, and the hand-to-hand fight in the grotto had been of short duration.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading An hour had passed, the fight had proved shorter and less serious than had been apprehended.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
resulting from one's intentions
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
leadersnounUS /ˈliːdərz/
the body of people who lead a group
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
go away from a place
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading An hour had passed, the fight had proved shorter and less serious than had been apprehended.
most important element
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
in motion
From this reading Frederic's cry of alarm had broken up their plan of moving on in perfect silence to the castle, and the hand-to-hand fight in the grotto had been of short duration.
the fourth book of the Old Testament; contains a record of the number of Israelites who followed Moses out of Egypt
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Sacrifice of Blood.
plural of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Frederic's cry of alarm had broken up their plan of moving on in perfect silence to the castle, and the hand-to-hand fight in the grotto had been of short duration.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few French fusileers had fallen, half a dozen had been taken prisoners, and the others had fled in wild disorder to the forest.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading An hour had passed, the fight had proved shorter and less serious than had been apprehended.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading Frederic's cry of alarm had broken up their plan of moving on in perfect silence to the castle, and the hand-to-hand fight in the grotto had been of short duration.
have the will and intention to carry out some action
From this reading Frederic's cry of alarm had broken up their plan of moving on in perfect silence to the castle, and the hand-to-hand fight in the grotto had been of short duration.
preynounUS /preɪ/
a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
plural of “prisoner” — a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading A few French fusileers had fallen, half a dozen had been taken prisoners, and the others had fled in wild disorder to the forest.
proceedingnounUS /prəˈsiːdɪŋ/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
established beyond doubt
From this reading An hour had passed, the fight had proved shorter and less serious than had been apprehended.
quartered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.
From this reading The Sacrifice of Blood.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading An hour had passed, the fight had proved shorter and less serious than had been apprehended.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Frederic's cry of alarm had broken up their plan of moving on in perfect silence to the castle, and the hand-to-hand fight in the grotto had been of short duration.
shorteradjectiveUS /ˈʃɔːrtər/
comparative of “short” — primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading An hour had passed, the fight had proved shorter and less serious than had been apprehended.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Frederic's cry of alarm had broken up their plan of moving on in perfect silence to the castle, and the hand-to-hand fight in the grotto had been of short duration.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading A few French fusileers had fallen, half a dozen had been taken prisoners, and the others had fled in wild disorder to the forest.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading An hour had passed, the fight had proved shorter and less serious than had been apprehended.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Sacrifice of Blood.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Frederic's cry of alarm had broken up their plan of moving on in perfect silence to the castle, and the hand-to-hand fight in the grotto had been of short duration.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading A few French fusileers had fallen, half a dozen had been taken prisoners, and the others had fled in wild disorder to the forest.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The enemy, proceeding from the forest and gathering in small numbers at the grotto, had intended to surprise the castle in which the German officers were quartered, and by capturing them to leave the force in the village without leaders, and an easy prey to the attack of their main body.
