adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
advancingadjectiveUS /ədˈvænsɪŋ/
moving forward
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
appearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
BREACHverbUS /briːtʃ/
act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises
From this reading THE BREACH REPASSED.
brightenedverbUS /ˈbraɪtənd/
past form of “brighten” — make more cheerful through the use of color
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
carenounUS /ker/
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
castverbUS /kæst/
put or send forth
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
charnel-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
citynounUS /ˈsɪti/
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
cloudsnounUS /klaʊdz/
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
comradenounUS /ˈkɑːmræd/
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
dawnnounUS /dɔːn/
the first light of day
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
daybreaknounUS /ˈdeɪbreɪk/
the first light of day
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
deadadjectiveUS /ded/
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
deathnounUS /deθ/
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
defendverbUS /dɪˈfend/
argue or speak in defense of
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
DesolateadjectiveUS /ˈdesələt/
providing no shelter or sustenance
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
despairingadjectiveUS /dɪˈsperɪŋ/
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
drearyadjectiveUS /ˈdrɪri/
lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
dulladjectiveUS /dʌl/
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
easternadjectiveUS /ˈiːstərn/
lying toward or situated in the east
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
eyesnounUS /aɪz/
opinion or judgment
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
faminenounUS /ˈfæmən/
an acute insufficiency
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
FamishedadjectiveUS /ˈfæmɪʃt/
extremely hungry
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
fixverbUS /fɪks/
restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
foodnounUS /fuːd/
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
fortificationsnounUS /ˌfɔːrtəfəˈkeɪʃənz/
plural of “fortification” — defensive structure consisting of walls or mounds built around a stronghold to strengthen it
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
gazenounUS /ɡeɪz/
a long fixed look
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
greyadjectiveUS /ɡreɪ/
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
hopenounUS /hoʊp/
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
hungernounUS /ˈhʌŋɡər/
a physiological need for food; the consequence of food deprivation
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
languidadjectiveUS /ˈlæŋɡwəd/
lacking spirit or liveliness
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
lookverbUS /lʊk/
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
maddenedadjective
marked by extreme anger
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
meetverbUS /miːt/
come together
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
mistyadjectiveUS /ˈmɪsti/
filled or abounding with fog or mist
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
mostadverbUS /moʊst/
used to form the superlative
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
mournfullyadverb
in a mournful manner
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
nightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
objectsnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekts/
plural of “object” — a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
obtainverbUS /əbˈteɪn/
come into possession of
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
pacenounUS /peɪs/
the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
pangsnounUS /pæŋz/
plural of “pang” — a sudden sharp feeling
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
postverbUS /poʊst/
affix in a public place or for public notice
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
raisedadjectiveUS /reɪzd/
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
rampartnounUS /ˈræmpɑːrt/
an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
REPASSED
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BREACH REPASSED.
rifted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
sentinelnounUS /ˈsentənəl/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
SlowlyadverbUS /ˈsloʊli/
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
soldiernounUS /ˈsoʊldʒər/
an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
solitaryadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləteri/
characterized by or preferring solitude
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
starvingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrvɪŋ/
suffering from lack of food
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
strengthnounUS /streŋkθ/
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
sufferedverbUS /ˈsʌfərd/
past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
surroundingadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋ/
closely encircling
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BREACH REPASSED.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
ToparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
wallnounUS /wɔːl/
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading Slowly and mournfully the sentinel at the rifted wall raised his eyes towards the eastern clouds as they brightened before the advancing dawn.
wallsnounUS /wɔːlz/
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
wastenounUS /weɪst/
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
watchverbUS /wɑːtʃ/
look attentively
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
watchedverbUS /wɑːtʃt/
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
welcomeverbUS /ˈwelkəm/
accept gladly
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading To look back on the city behind him was to look back on the dreary charnel-house of famine and death; to look down on the waste ground without the walls was to look down on the dead body of the comrade of his watch, who, maddened by the pangs of hunger which he had suffered during the night, had cast himself from the rampart to meet a welcome death on the earth beneath.
yearningnounUS /ˈjɜːrnɪŋ/
prolonged unfulfilled desire or need
From this reading Famished and despairing, the sentinel crouched on the fortifications which he had now neither strength to pace nor care to defend, yearning for the food that he had no hope to obtain, as he watched the grey daybreak from his solitary post.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Desolate as was the appearance of the dull, misty daybreak, it was yet the most welcome of all the objects surrounding the starving soldier on which he could fix his languid gaze.
