adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The digging of a tunnel is not an easy job, and, consequently, is of slow progress.
able-bodiedadjectiveUS /ˈeɪbəlˈbɑːdid/
having a strong healthy body
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
admitverbUS /ədˈmɪt/
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The digging of a tunnel is not an easy job, and, consequently, is of slow progress.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
Andersonville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/
on the far side of; further than
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
carriedverbUS /ˈkærid/
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
confederatenounUS /kənˈfedərət/
a supporter of the Confederate States of America
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
consequentlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnsəkwəntli/
(sentence connectors) because of the reason given
From this reading The digging of a tunnel is not an easy job, and, consequently, is of slow progress.
cuttingnounUS /ˈkʌtɪŋ/
the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading This mode of operating was carried on night after night, and the flooring replaced during the day, to prevent suspicion.
digverbUS /dɪɡ/
turn up, loosen, or remove earth
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
diggingnounUS /ˈdɪɡɪŋ/
the act of digging
From this reading The digging of a tunnel is not an easy job, and, consequently, is of slow progress.
dirtnounUS /dɜːrt/
the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
dugnounUS /dʌɡ/
an udder or breast or teat
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading This mode of operating was carried on night after night, and the flooring replaced during the day, to prevent suspicion.
earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
earthenwarenounUS /ˈɜːrθənwer/
ceramic ware made of porous clay fired at low heat
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
easyadjectiveUS /ˈiːzi/
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading The digging of a tunnel is not an easy job, and, consequently, is of slow progress.
energiesnounUS /ˈenərdʒiz/
plural of “energy” — (physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
escapenounUS /ɪˈskeɪp/
the act of escaping physically
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
everadverbUS /ˈevər/
at any time
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
exceptionnounUS /ɪkˈsepʃən/
a deliberate act of omission
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
facenounUS /feɪs/
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
feetnounUS /fiːt/
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
fifteennounUS /fɪfˈtiːn/
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
fiftynounUS /ˈfɪfti/
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
finishedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪnɪʃt/
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
floornounUS /flɔːr/
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
flooringnounUS /ˈflɔːrɪŋ/
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading This mode of operating was carried on night after night, and the flooring replaced during the day, to prevent suspicion.
followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
gatheredadjectiveUS /ˈɡæðərd/
brought together in one place
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
getverbUS /ɡet/
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
hinounUS /haɪ/
an expression of greeting
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
ironnounUS /ˈaɪərn/
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The digging of a tunnel is not an easy job, and, consequently, is of slow progress.
jobnounUS /dʒɑːb/
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading The digging of a tunnel is not an easy job, and, consequently, is of slow progress.
knifenounUS /naɪf/
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/
set down according to a plan
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
largestadjectiveUS /ˈlɑːrdʒəst/
superlative of “large” — above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
lengthnounUS /leŋkθ/
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
mennounUS /men/
the force of workers available
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
modenounUS /moʊd/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading This mode of operating was carried on night after night, and the flooring replaced during the day, to prevent suspicion.
mostadverbUS /moʊst/
used to form the superlative
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
nightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading This mode of operating was carried on night after night, and the flooring replaced during the day, to prevent suspicion.
nightlyadjectiveUS /ˈnaɪtli/
happening every night
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The digging of a tunnel is not an easy job, and, consequently, is of slow progress.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
offadverbUS /ɔːf/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading This mode of operating was carried on night after night, and the flooring replaced during the day, to prevent suspicion.
operatingadjectiveUS /ˈɑːpəreɪtɪŋ/
involved in a kind of operation
From this reading This mode of operating was carried on night after night, and the flooring replaced during the day, to prevent suspicion.
operatornounUS /ˈɑːpəreɪtər/
(mathematics) a symbol or function representing a mathematical operation
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
outsideadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtˈsaɪd/
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
piecenounUS /piːs/
a separate part of a whole
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
placenounUS /pleɪs/
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
preventverbUS /prɪˈvent/
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading This mode of operating was carried on night after night, and the flooring replaced during the day, to prevent suspicion.
prisonnounUS /ˈprɪzən/
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
prisonersnounUS /ˈprɪzənərz/
plural of “prisoner” — a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
progressnounUS /ˈprɑːɡres/
gradual improvement or growth or development
From this reading The digging of a tunnel is not an easy job, and, consequently, is of slow progress.
projectedadjectiveUS /prəˈdʒektəd/
extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
replacedverbUS /ˌriːˈpleɪst/
past form of “replace” — substitute a person or thing for (another that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working or yielding what is expected)
From this reading This mode of operating was carried on night after night, and the flooring replaced during the day, to prevent suspicion.
severaladjectiveUS /ˈsevrəl/
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
slowadjectiveUS /sloʊ/
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading The digging of a tunnel is not an easy job, and, consequently, is of slow progress.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
soonadverbUS /suːn/
in the near future
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
spoonnounUS /spuːn/
a piece of cutlery with a shallow bowl-shaped container and a handle; used to stir or serve or take up food
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
surfacenounUS /ˈsɜːrfəs/
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
suspicionnounUS /səˈspɪʃən/
an impression that something might be the case
From this reading This mode of operating was carried on night after night, and the flooring replaced during the day, to prevent suspicion.
tappingnounUS /ˈtæpɪŋ/
the sound of light blow or knock
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
tennounUS /ten/
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This mode of operating was carried on night after night, and the flooring replaced during the day, to prevent suspicion.
thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
throwingverbUS /ˈθroʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
tunnelverbUS /ˈtʌnəl/
move through by or as by digging
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
wallnounUS /wɔːl/
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
waynounUS /weɪ/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
weeksnounUS /wiːks/
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
wentverbUS /went/
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of fifty feet to get beyond the wall.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The digging was done in the following way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron, dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
workverbUS /wɜːrk/
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest] ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
