1775
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief On the tenth of May, 1775, the Continental Congress again assembled.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The situation now called for the appointment of a commander-in-chief.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
matters of personal concern
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
anew
From this reading Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief On the tenth of May, 1775, the Continental Congress again assembled.
(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 means of defence for all the colonies was taken under consideration.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
appointmentnounUS /əˈpɔɪntmənt/
the act of putting a person into a non-elective position
From this reading The situation now called for the appointment of a commander-in-chief.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
assembledverbUS /əˈsembəld/
past form of “assemble” — create by putting components or members together
From this reading Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief On the tenth of May, 1775, the Continental Congress again assembled.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
the people of Great Britain
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The situation now called for the appointment of a commander-in-chief.
chairmannounUS /ˈtʃermən/
the officer who presides at the meetings of an organization
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
one who is the object of choice; who is given preference
From this reading Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief On the tenth of May, 1775, the Continental Congress again assembled.
coloniesnounUS /ˈkɑːləniz/
plural of “colony” — a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
From this reading The means of defence for all the colonies was taken under consideration.
Commander-in-Chiefnoun
the officer who holds the supreme command
From this reading Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief On the tenth of May, 1775, the Continental Congress again assembled.
committeesnounUS /kəˈmɪtiz/
plural of “committee” — a special group delegated to consider some matter
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
CongressnounUS /ˈkɑːŋɡrəs/
the legislature of the United States government
From this reading Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief On the tenth of May, 1775, the Continental Congress again assembled.
the process of giving careful thought to something
From this reading The means of defence for all the colonies was taken under consideration.
ContinentaladjectiveUS /ˌkɑːntəˈnentəl/
of or pertaining to or typical of Europe
From this reading Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief On the tenth of May, 1775, the Continental Congress again assembled.
defencenounUS /dɪˈfens/
(psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
From this reading The means of defence for all the colonies was taken under consideration.
deliberationsnounUS /dɪˌlɪbərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “deliberation” — (usually plural) discussion of all sides of a question
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The means of defence for all the colonies was taken under consideration.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief On the tenth of May, 1775, the Continental Congress again assembled.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading The means of defence for all the colonies was taken under consideration.
the force of workers available
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
of or relating to the study of the principles of warfare
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The situation now called for the appointment of a commander-in-chief.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief On the tenth of May, 1775, the Continental Congress again assembled.
plural of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief On the tenth of May, 1775, the Continental Congress again assembled.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
on the contrary
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading The situation now called for the appointment of a commander-in-chief.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The means of defence for all the colonies was taken under consideration.
tenthnounUS /tenθ/
a tenth part; one part in ten equal parts
From this reading Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief On the tenth of May, 1775, the Continental Congress again assembled.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief On the tenth of May, 1775, the Continental Congress again assembled.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Washington took the principal part in these deliberations, as he had been chosen chairman of all the committees on military affairs.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The means of defence for all the colonies was taken under consideration.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The means of defence for all the colonies was taken under consideration.
the capital of the United States in the District of Columbia and a tourist mecca; George Washington commissioned Charles L'Enfant to lay out the city in 1791
From this reading Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief On the tenth of May, 1775, the Continental Congress again assembled.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
which person or people
From this reading There were able men in Congress who had served as officers in the British army and one or another of them rather expected to be chosen for the position.
