used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
tried unsuccessfully
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
awaitedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪtɪd/
expected hopefully
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
bannermen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
captain'snounUS /ˈkæptənz/
possessive form of “captain” — an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Having secured the dead body of their companion, the party set spurs to their horses, and were soon out of the captain's sight.
captornounUS /ˈkæptər/
a person who captures and holds people or animals
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
a low-lying region in central France
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
clamberedverbUS /ˈklæmbərd/
past form of “clamber” — climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
collarnounUS /ˈkɑːlər/
a band that fits around the neck and is usually folded over
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Having secured the dead body of their companion, the party set spurs to their horses, and were soon out of the captain's sight.
a body serving in an administrative capacity
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading Having secured the dead body of their companion, the party set spurs to their horses, and were soon out of the captain's sight.
dismounting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
graspedverbUS /ɡræspt/
past form of “grasp” — hold firmly
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
Havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Having secured the dead body of their companion, the party set spurs to their horses, and were soon out of the captain's sight.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Having secured the dead body of their companion, the party set spurs to their horses, and were soon out of the captain's sight.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
raise from a lower to a higher position
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
set afire or burning
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
most important element
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
engage in
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
and nothing more
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Having secured the dead body of their companion, the party set spurs to their horses, and were soon out of the captain's sight.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading Having secured the dead body of their companion, the party set spurs to their horses, and were soon out of the captain's sight.
pipesnounUS /paɪps/
plural of “pipe” — a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
placingverbUS /ˈpleɪsɪŋ/
-ing form of “place” — put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
past form of “proceed” — continue talking
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
proceedingnounUS /prəˈsiːdɪŋ/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
Puffeigh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
with low volume
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
resistverbUS /rɪˈzɪst/
elude, especially in a baffling way
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
ridgenounUS /rɪdʒ/
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
any member of a ship's crew
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
cut with a saw
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
past form of “secure” — get by special effort
From this reading Having secured the dead body of their companion, the party set spurs to their horses, and were soon out of the captain's sight.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Having secured the dead body of their companion, the party set spurs to their horses, and were soon out of the captain's sight.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading Having secured the dead body of their companion, the party set spurs to their horses, and were soon out of the captain's sight.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
in the near future
From this reading Having secured the dead body of their companion, the party set spurs to their horses, and were soon out of the captain's sight.
spursnounUS /spɜːrz/
plural of “spur” — a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something
From this reading Having secured the dead body of their companion, the party set spurs to their horses, and were soon out of the captain's sight.
squatted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
surroundingadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋ/
closely encircling
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
ThompsonnounUS /ˈtɑːmpsən/
United States classical archaeologist (born in Canada) noted for leading the excavation of the Athenian agora (1906-2000)
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading When they had proceeded about a mile they threw the dead body into a field, then dismounting and placing Thompson in the centre of the group, squatted round him, lighted their pipes, and held a council of war.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Having secured the dead body of their companion, the party set spurs to their horses, and were soon out of the captain's sight.
at the time that
From this reading When Thompson saw the main body of the bannermen riding over the sand ridge he knew it was useless to resist, so he quietly awaited his fate.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading After surrounding him, one of their number grasped the sailor by the collar and attempted to lift him off the ground, upon which Jerry clambered up and seated himself behind his captor.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Puffeigh knew it would be useless to fire at them, as such a proceeding would only make matters worse for the prisoner.
