used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
Almeida
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
Ciudad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
defeatedadjectiveUS /dɪˈfiːtəd/
beaten or overcome; not victorious
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
desertionnounUS /dɪˈzɜːrʃən/
withdrawing support or help despite allegiance or responsibility
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
an opposing military force
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
fortressesnounUS /ˈfɔːrtrəsɪz/
plural of “fortress” — a fortified defensive structure
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
frontiersnounUS /frənˈtɪrz/
plural of “frontier” — a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
superlative of “high” — greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
massesnounUS /ˈmæsəz/
the common people generally
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
and nothing more
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
overwhelmingadjectiveUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelmɪŋ/
so strong as to be irresistible
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
PortugalnounUS /ˈpɔːrtʃəɡəl/
a republic in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula; Portuguese explorers and colonists in the 15th and 16th centuries created a vast overseas empire (including Brazil)
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
compacted by ironing
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
just preceding something else in time or order
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
recordingnounUS /rəˈkɔːrdɪŋ/
a signal that encodes something (e.g., picture or sound) that has been recorded
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
retiringadjectiveUS /rɪˈtaɪrɪŋ/
not arrogant or presuming
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
retrogradeverbUS /ˈretrəɡreɪd/
move backward in an orbit, of celestial bodies
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
Rodrigo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
cut with a saw
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
sicknessnounUS /ˈsɪknəs/
impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
SKIRMISHnounUS /ˈskɜːrmɪʃ/
a minor short-term fight
From this reading THE SKIRMISH.
SpaniardsnounUS /ˈspænjərdz/
plural of “spaniard” — a native or inhabitant of Spain
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
having great beauty and splendor
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
successivelyadverbUS /səkˈsesɪvli/
in proper order or sequence
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
Talavera
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SKIRMISH.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Pressed hard by overwhelming masses of the enemy, we saw the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida fall successively into their hands.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
thinnedadjectiveUS /θɪnd/
mixed with water
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
soldiers collectively
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
past form of “venture” — proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
at the time that
From this reading Our good fortune seemed to have deserted us when our hopes were highest; for from the day of that splendid victory we began our retrograde movement upon Portugal.
in or to any place at all
From this reading The Spaniards were defeated wherever they ventured upon a battle; and our own troops, thinned by sickness and desertion, presented but a shadow of that brilliant army which only a few months previous had followed the retiring French beyond the frontiers of Portugal.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value
From this reading For several months after the battle of Talavera my life presented nothing which I feel worth recording.
