used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A GALLANT EXPLOIT Crouched, tense, ready for the word, the American lads faced the foe.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The strain of waiting was becoming almost unbearable.
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading A GALLANT EXPLOIT Crouched, tense, ready for the word, the American lads faced the foe.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The captain shouted a command, and up they scrambled like hounds freed from the leash.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A thrill of impatience ran through them as the enemy came nearer.
according with custom or propriety
From this reading The strain of waiting was becoming almost unbearable.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A thrill of impatience ran through them as the enemy came nearer.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading The captain shouted a command, and up they scrambled like hounds freed from the leash.
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading The captain shouted a command, and up they scrambled like hounds freed from the leash.
CrouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading A GALLANT EXPLOIT Crouched, tense, ready for the word, the American lads faced the foe.
an opposing military force
From this reading A thrill of impatience ran through them as the enemy came nearer.
EXPLOITverbUS /ˈeksplɔɪt/
use or manipulate to one's advantage
From this reading A GALLANT EXPLOIT Crouched, tense, ready for the word, the American lads faced the foe.
having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination
From this reading A GALLANT EXPLOIT Crouched, tense, ready for the word, the American lads faced the foe.
the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
foenounUS /foʊ/
an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)
From this reading A GALLANT EXPLOIT Crouched, tense, ready for the word, the American lads faced the foe.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A GALLANT EXPLOIT Crouched, tense, ready for the word, the American lads faced the foe.
freedverbUS /friːd/
past form of “free” — grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading The captain shouted a command, and up they scrambled like hounds freed from the leash.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The captain shouted a command, and up they scrambled like hounds freed from the leash.
unflinching in battle or action
From this reading A GALLANT EXPLOIT Crouched, tense, ready for the word, the American lads faced the foe.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
houndsnounUS /haʊndz/
plural of “hound” — any of several breeds of dog used for hunting typically having large drooping ears
From this reading The captain shouted a command, and up they scrambled like hounds freed from the leash.
impatiencenounUS /ˌɪmˈpeɪʃəns/
a lack of patience; irritation with anything that causes delay
From this reading A thrill of impatience ran through them as the enemy came nearer.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
plural of “lad” — a boy or man
From this reading A GALLANT EXPLOIT Crouched, tense, ready for the word, the American lads faced the foe.
leashnounUS /liːʃ/
restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal
From this reading The captain shouted a command, and up they scrambled like hounds freed from the leash.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading A thrill of impatience ran through them as the enemy came nearer.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A thrill of impatience ran through them as the enemy came nearer.
overwhelmedverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelmd/
past form of “overwhelm” — overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
pouringadjectiveUS /ˈpɔːrɪŋ/
flowing profusely
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading A thrill of impatience ran through them as the enemy came nearer.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading A GALLANT EXPLOIT Crouched, tense, ready for the word, the American lads faced the foe.
scrambledadjectiveUS /ˈskræmbəld/
thrown together in a disorderly fashion
From this reading The captain shouted a command, and up they scrambled like hounds freed from the leash.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading The captain shouted a command, and up they scrambled like hounds freed from the leash.
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading The strain of waiting was becoming almost unbearable.
surgingadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrdʒɪŋ/
characterized by great swelling waves or surges
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
tensenounUS /tens/
a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time
From this reading A GALLANT EXPLOIT Crouched, tense, ready for the word, the American lads faced the foe.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A GALLANT EXPLOIT Crouched, tense, ready for the word, the American lads faced the foe.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A thrill of impatience ran through them as the enemy came nearer.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
thrillnounUS /θrɪl/
the swift release of a store of affective force
From this reading A thrill of impatience ran through them as the enemy came nearer.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A thrill of impatience ran through them as the enemy came nearer.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
trenchesnounUS /ˈtrentʃɪz/
plural of “trench” — a ditch dug as a fortification having a parapet of the excavated earth
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
unbearableadjectiveUS /ənˈberəbəl/
incapable of being tolerated or endured
From this reading The strain of waiting was becoming almost unbearable.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The captain shouted a command, and up they scrambled like hounds freed from the leash.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading The strain of waiting was becoming almost unbearable.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The strain of waiting was becoming almost unbearable.
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
Wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Were they to wait there, until that grey wave overwhelmed them, pouring into the trenches like a surging flood?
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading A GALLANT EXPLOIT Crouched, tense, ready for the word, the American lads faced the foe.
