used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "I know!" cried Barkins; "he needn't make such a jolly mystery of it.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
athleticadjectiveUS /æθˈletɪk/
relating to or befitting athletics or athletes
From this reading It's Chinese athletic sports.
an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading Look, there's the band coming."
Barkins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I know!" cried Barkins; "he needn't make such a jolly mystery of it.
barriersnounUS /ˈbæriərz/
plural of “barrier” — a structure or object that impedes free movement
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
ChinesenounUS /tʃaɪˈniːz/
any of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in China; regarded as dialects of a single language (even though they are mutually unintelligible) because they share an ideographic writing system
From this reading It's Chinese athletic sports.
clumsyadjectiveUS /ˈklʌmzi/
lacking grace in movement or posture
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Look, there's the band coming."
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "I know!" cried Barkins; "he needn't make such a jolly mystery of it.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
unlike in nature or quality or form or degree
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
diversadjectiveUS /ˈdaɪvərz/
many and different
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
drumsnounUS /drʌmz/
plural of “drum” — a musical percussion instrument; usually consists of a hollow cylinder with a membrane stretched across each end
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
fillingnounUS /ˈfɪlɪŋ/
any material that fills a space or container
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
having or given a form or shape
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
gongsnounUS /ɡɔːŋz/
plural of “gong” — a percussion instrument consisting of a metal plate that is struck with a softheaded drumstick
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I know!" cried Barkins; "he needn't make such a jolly mystery of it.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I know!" cried Barkins; "he needn't make such a jolly mystery of it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
instrumentsnounUS /ˈɪnstrəmənts/
plural of “instrument” — a device that requires skill for proper use
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "I know!" cried Barkins; "he needn't make such a jolly mystery of it.
It's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It's Chinese athletic sports.
jollyadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɑːli/
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading "I know!" cried Barkins; "he needn't make such a jolly mystery of it.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "I know!" cried Barkins; "he needn't make such a jolly mystery of it.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Look, there's the band coming."
engage in
From this reading "I know!" cried Barkins; "he needn't make such a jolly mystery of it.
marchedverbUS /mɑːrtʃt/
past form of “march” — march in a procession
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
marchingnounUS /ˈmɑːrtʃɪŋ/
the act of marching; walking with regular steps (especially in a procession of some kind)
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
military-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading "I know!" cried Barkins; "he needn't make such a jolly mystery of it.
needn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I know!" cried Barkins; "he needn't make such a jolly mystery of it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "I know!" cried Barkins; "he needn't make such a jolly mystery of it.
and nothing more
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
having a point
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
reservedadjectiveUS /rɪˈzɜːrvd/
set aside for the use of a particular person or party
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
Identical; not different.
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
shieldsnounUS /ʃiːldz/
plural of “shield” — a protective covering or structure
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
spearsnounUS /spɪrz/
plural of “spear” — a long pointed rod used as a tool or weapon
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
sportsnounUS /spɔːrts/
plural of “sport” — an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition
From this reading It's Chinese athletic sports.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading "I know!" cried Barkins; "he needn't make such a jolly mystery of it.
carry out
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Look, there's the band coming."
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
there's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look, there's the band coming."
up to a particular time
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
well-dressedadjective
having tasteful clothing and being scrupulously neat
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Then a body of soldiers, with clumsy spears and shields, marched in and formed up opposite the band, the place filling up till only the best places, which were exactly opposite to us, remained empty.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He pointed to a military-looking party marching in with drums, gongs, and divers other instruments; and almost at the same time quite a crowd of well-dressed people entered, and began to take the different places reserved behind the barriers.
