used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
alertnessnounUS /əˈlɜːrtnəs/
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading But either the staying quality or the alertness of the Allies finally turned the scale.
(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 THE BAPTISM OF FIRE All faces were turned toward the sky.
AlliesnounUS /ˈælaɪz/
the alliance of nations that fought the Axis in World War II and which (with subsequent additions) signed the charter of the United Nations in 1945
From this reading But either the staying quality or the alertness of the Allies finally turned the scale.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
balanceverbUS /ˈbæləns/
bring into balance or equilibrium
From this reading The forces were nearly equal and for some time victory hovered in the balance.
BAPTISMnounUS /ˈbæptɪzəm/
a Christian sacrament signifying spiritual cleansing and rebirth
From this reading THE BAPTISM OF FIRE All faces were turned toward the sky.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But either the staying quality or the alertness of the Allies finally turned the scale.
climbingnounUS /ˈklaɪmɪŋ/
an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
divingnounUS /ˈdaɪvɪŋ/
an athletic competition that involves diving into water
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
one or the other of two
From this reading But either the staying quality or the alertness of the Allies finally turned the scale.
be identical or equivalent to
From this reading The forces were nearly equal and for some time victory hovered in the balance.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading THE BAPTISM OF FIRE All faces were turned toward the sky.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading But either the staying quality or the alertness of the Allies finally turned the scale.
start firing a weapon
From this reading THE BAPTISM OF FIRE All faces were turned toward the sky.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The forces were nearly equal and for some time victory hovered in the balance.
plural of “force” — a powerful effect or influence
From this reading The forces were nearly equal and for some time victory hovered in the balance.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
gaugeverbUS /ɡeɪdʒ/
judge tentatively or form an estimate of (quantities or time)
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
a quick look
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
hoveredverbUS /ˈhʌvərd/
past form of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
From this reading The forces were nearly equal and for some time victory hovered in the balance.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
jockeyingverbUS /ˈdʒɑːkiɪŋ/
-ing form of “jockey” — defeat someone through trickery or deceit
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The forces were nearly equal and for some time victory hovered in the balance.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE BAPTISM OF FIRE All faces were turned toward the sky.
opponentnounUS /əˈpoʊnənt/
a contestant that you are matched against
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading But either the staying quality or the alertness of the Allies finally turned the scale.
planesnounUS /pleɪnz/
plural of “plane” — an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading But either the staying quality or the alertness of the Allies finally turned the scale.
scalenounUS /skeɪl/
an ordered reference standard
From this reading But either the staying quality or the alertness of the Allies finally turned the scale.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading THE BAPTISM OF FIRE All faces were turned toward the sky.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The forces were nearly equal and for some time victory hovered in the balance.
spellboundadjectiveUS /ˈspelbaʊnd/
having your attention fixated as though by a spell
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
stayingverbUS /ˈsteɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading But either the staying quality or the alertness of the Allies finally turned the scale.
swoopedverbUS /swuːpt/
past form of “swoop” — move down on as if in an attack
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BAPTISM OF FIRE All faces were turned toward the sky.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The forces were nearly equal and for some time victory hovered in the balance.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading THE BAPTISM OF FIRE All faces were turned toward the sky.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading THE BAPTISM OF FIRE All faces were turned toward the sky.
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading The forces were nearly equal and for some time victory hovered in the balance.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the army boys' first glimpse of a battle in the air and the grim game held them spellbound.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE BAPTISM OF FIRE All faces were turned toward the sky.
wheeledadjectiveUS /wiːld/
having wheels; often used in combination
From this reading Like great birds the battle planes wheeled and swooped, now diving, now climbing, each jockeying so as to get the weather gauge of its opponent and bring its machine guns into action.
