used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading We were able to watch shells bursting closer before we had been there long.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
anew
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We stood about in the lane, and watched the shells bursting in the town.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading We were able to watch shells bursting closer before we had been there long.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading We were able to watch shells bursting closer before we had been there long.
BLAZINGadjectiveUS /ˈbleɪzɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
burstingverbUS /ˈbɜːrstɪŋ/
-ing form of “burst” — come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading We stood about in the lane, and watched the shells bursting in the town.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading We were able to watch shells bursting closer before we had been there long.
explodedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsploʊdəd/
showing the parts of something separated but in positions that show their correct relation to one another
From this reading With a screeching whistle a shell shot over our heads and exploded in the field on our left.
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading With a screeching whistle a shell shot over our heads and exploded in the field on our left.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
the act of departing
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We were able to watch shells bursting closer before we had been there long.
haltedverbUS /ˈhɔːltəd/
past form of “halt” — cause to stop
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading With a screeching whistle a shell shot over our heads and exploded in the field on our left.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
a narrow way or road
From this reading We stood about in the lane, and watched the shells bursting in the town.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading With a screeching whistle a shell shot over our heads and exploded in the field on our left.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading We were able to watch shells bursting closer before we had been there long.
LUGUBRIOUSadjectiveUS /luːˈɡjuːbriəs/
excessively mournful
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
march in a procession
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
in motion
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading With a screeching whistle a shell shot over our heads and exploded in the field on our left.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
preventedverbUS /prɪˈventɪd/
past form of “prevent” — keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
screechingnounUS /ˈskriːtʃɪŋ/
a high-pitched noise resembling a human cry
From this reading With a screeching whistle a shell shot over our heads and exploded in the field on our left.
shellnounUS /ʃel/
ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
From this reading With a screeching whistle a shell shot over our heads and exploded in the field on our left.
shellsnounUS /ʃelz/
plural of “shell” — ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
From this reading We stood about in the lane, and watched the shells bursting in the town.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading With a screeching whistle a shell shot over our heads and exploded in the field on our left.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
not in physical motion
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading We stood about in the lane, and watched the shells bursting in the town.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
in or at that place or location
From this reading We were able to watch shells bursting closer before we had been there long.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We were able to watch shells bursting closer before we had been there long.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading We stood about in the lane, and watched the shells bursting in the town.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
look attentively
From this reading We were able to watch shells bursting closer before we had been there long.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading We stood about in the lane, and watched the shells bursting in the town.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We were able to watch shells bursting closer before we had been there long.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Something or other was going on up the road in front, which prevented our moving.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading With a screeching whistle a shell shot over our heads and exploded in the field on our left.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With a screeching whistle a shell shot over our heads and exploded in the field on our left.
YPRESnoun
battle in World War I (1917); an Allied offensive which eventually failed because tanks bogged down in the waterlogged soil of Flanders; Germans introduced mustard gas which interfered with the Allied artillery
From this reading GETTING NEARER----A LUGUBRIOUS PARTY--STILL NEARER--BLAZING YPRES--ORDERS FOR ATTACK After about another twenty minutes' march we halted again.
