used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The colonel gave some more attention to his pipe and then continued.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading The colonel gave some more attention to his pipe and then continued.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
basesnounUS /ˈbeɪsəz/
plural of “base” — installation from which a military force initiates operations
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
BelgianadjectiveUS /ˈbeldʒən/
of or relating to or characteristic of Belgium or the Belgian people
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
blastingadjectiveUS /ˈblæstɪŋ/
causing injury or blight; especially affecting with sudden violence or plague or ruin
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
BombingnounUS /ˈbɑːmɪŋ/
an attack by dropping bombs
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
the two together, not just one
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
coastsnounUS /koʊsts/
plural of “coast” — the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general
From this reading The colonel gave some more attention to his pipe and then continued.
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
unvarying in nature
From this reading The Navy has been on constant patrol seeking for signs of invasion.
without stop or interruption
From this reading The colonel gave some more attention to his pipe and then continued.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
divisible by two
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
a degree on the Fahrenheit scale of temperature
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
devoid of good sense or judgment
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The colonel gave some more attention to his pipe and then continued.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
haven't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The colonel gave some more attention to his pipe and then continued.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
invadingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈveɪdɪŋ/
involving invasion or aggressive attack
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
invasionnounUS /ˌɪnˈveɪʒən/
the act of invading; the act of an army that invades for conquest or plunder
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The colonel gave some more attention to his pipe and then continued.
as might be expected
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
NavynounUS /ˈneɪvi/
an organization of military vessels belonging to a country and available for sea warfare
From this reading The Navy has been on constant patrol seeking for signs of invasion.
NaziadjectiveUS /ˈnɑːtsi/
relating to or consistent with or typical of the ideology and practice of Nazism or the Nazis
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
NetherlandsnounUS /ˈneðərləndz/
a constitutional monarchy in western Europe on the North Sea; half the country lies below sea level
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Navy has been on constant patrol seeking for signs of invasion.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
patrolnounUS /pəˈtroʊl/
a detachment used for security or reconnaissance
From this reading The Navy has been on constant patrol seeking for signs of invasion.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading It is not known by many people, but we have even done a little invading of our own.
a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco
From this reading The colonel gave some more attention to his pipe and then continued.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
prepareverbUS /priˈper/
make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
the act of searching for something
From this reading The Navy has been on constant patrol seeking for signs of invasion.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading The Navy has been on constant patrol seeking for signs of invasion.
and nothing more
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
be seated
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The colonel gave some more attention to his pipe and then continued.
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The colonel gave some more attention to his pipe and then continued.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The colonel gave some more attention to his pipe and then continued.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The colonel gave some more attention to his pipe and then continued.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Naturally, we haven't been so foolish as simply to prepare in every possible way we can, and then sit back and wait for him to strike.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading The R.A.F. Bombing Command has been blasting away at Nazi invasion bases on the French, Belgian, and Netherlands coasts night after night, as you both well know.
