actverbUS /ækt/
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
ArmynounUS /ˈɑːrmi/
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading CHASED BY CAVALRY The four Army boys looked at each other in dismay.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading CHASED BY CAVALRY The four Army boys looked at each other in dismay.
attemptnounUS /əˈtempt/
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
befallenverbUS /bəˈfɑːlən/
inflected form of “befall” — become of; happen to
From this reading Nothing much worse than this could have befallen them.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
boysnounUS /bɔɪz/
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading CHASED BY CAVALRY The four Army boys looked at each other in dismay.
broughtverbUS /brɔːt/
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading It brought them close to the edge of tragedy.
BYprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading CHASED BY CAVALRY The four Army boys looked at each other in dismay.
CAVALRYnounUS /ˈkævəlri/
troops trained to fight on horseback
From this reading CHASED BY CAVALRY The four Army boys looked at each other in dismay.
changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading They would have to change their plans.
CHASEDnounUS /tʃeɪst/
a person who is being chased
From this reading CHASED BY CAVALRY The four Army boys looked at each other in dismay.
chooseverbUS /tʃuːz/
pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading It brought them close to the edge of tragedy.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Nothing much worse than this could have befallen them.
dismaynounUS /dɪˈsmeɪ/
the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
From this reading CHASED BY CAVALRY The four Army boys looked at each other in dismay.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading CHASED BY CAVALRY The four Army boys looked at each other in dismay.
edgenounUS /edʒ/
the boundary of a surface
From this reading It brought them close to the edge of tragedy.
escapenounUS /ɪˈskeɪp/
the act of escaping physically
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
forcedadjectiveUS /fɔːrst/
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
fournounUS /fɔːr/
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading CHASED BY CAVALRY The four Army boys looked at each other in dismay.
freeverbUS /friː/
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
greateradjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtər/
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Nothing much worse than this could have befallen them.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading CHASED BY CAVALRY The four Army boys looked at each other in dismay.
InsteadadverbUS /ˌɪnˈsted/
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It brought them close to the edge of tragedy.
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading CHASED BY CAVALRY The four Army boys looked at each other in dismay.
matternounUS /ˈmætər/
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Nothing much worse than this could have befallen them.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nothing much worse than this could have befallen them.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It brought them close to the edge of tragedy.
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading CHASED BY CAVALRY The four Army boys looked at each other in dismay.
ownverbUS /oʊn/
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
plansnounUS /plænz/
plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished
From this reading They would have to change their plans.
quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/
with speed
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
risknounUS /rɪsk/
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Nothing much worse than this could have befallen them.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CHASED BY CAVALRY The four Army boys looked at each other in dismay.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They would have to change their plans.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Nothing much worse than this could have befallen them.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They would have to change their plans.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Nothing much worse than this could have befallen them.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It brought them close to the edge of tragedy.
tragedynounUS /ˈtrædʒədi/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading It brought them close to the edge of tragedy.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Instead of being free to choose their own time for their attempt to escape, they were forced to act quickly no matter how much greater the risk might be.
worseadjectiveUS /wɜːrs/
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading Nothing much worse than this could have befallen them.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They would have to change their plans.
