used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading They carried guns with which they opened a hot fire on the departing plane.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
CHUMSnounUS /tʃʌmz/
plural of “chum” — a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Some of the mob, that had come from Metz itself, were German soldiers.
delayedadjectiveUS /dɪˈleɪd/
not as far along as normal in development
From this reading Had they been delayed just a minute or two longer escape might have been impossible.
departingverbUS /dɪˈpɑːrtɪŋ/
-ing form of “depart” — move away from a place into another direction
From this reading They carried guns with which they opened a hot fire on the departing plane.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading Had they been delayed just a minute or two longer escape might have been impossible.
start firing a weapon
From this reading They carried guns with which they opened a hot fire on the departing plane.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Some of the mob, that had come from Metz itself, were German soldiers.
a person of German nationality
From this reading Some of the mob, that had come from Metz itself, were German soldiers.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading They carried guns with which they opened a hot fire on the departing plane.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had they been delayed just a minute or two longer escape might have been impossible.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading They carried guns with which they opened a hot fire on the departing plane.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading Had they been delayed just a minute or two longer escape might have been impossible.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
a message received and understood
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Some of the mob, that had come from Metz itself, were German soldiers.
and nothing more
From this reading Had they been delayed just a minute or two longer escape might have been impossible.
for more time
From this reading Had they been delayed just a minute or two longer escape might have been impossible.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
Metz
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some of the mob, that had come from Metz itself, were German soldiers.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Had they been delayed just a minute or two longer escape might have been impossible.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading Had they been delayed just a minute or two longer escape might have been impossible.
mobnounUS /mɑːb/
a disorderly crowd of people
From this reading Some of the mob, that had come from Metz itself, were German soldiers.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They carried guns with which they opened a hot fire on the departing plane.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading They carried guns with which they opened a hot fire on the departing plane.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Had they been delayed just a minute or two longer escape might have been impossible.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
planenounUS /pleɪn/
an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets
From this reading They carried guns with which they opened a hot fire on the departing plane.
the act of having and controlling property
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
established beyond doubt
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
work done by one person or group that benefits another
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading Some of the mob, that had come from Metz itself, were German soldiers.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some of the mob, that had come from Metz itself, were German soldiers.
spy'snounUS /spaɪz/
possessive form of “spy” — (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Some of the mob, that had come from Metz itself, were German soldiers.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Had they been delayed just a minute or two longer escape might have been impossible.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
a source of difficulty
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS It had been a close call for the two air service boys.
precisely as stated
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Some of the mob, that had come from Metz itself, were German soldiers.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They carried guns with which they opened a hot fire on the departing plane.
in the company of; together with
From this reading And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their possession might have proved a very serious matter.
