1776
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Washington spent about nine months with the army around Boston.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
(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 So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
AmericansnounUS /əˈmerəkənz/
plural of “american” — a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading Washington spent about nine months with the army around Boston.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Washington spent about nine months with the army around Boston.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Their General did not feel strong enough to fight, so he put his men on ships and sailed away to Halifax.
state capital and largest city of Massachusetts; a major center for banking and financial services
From this reading Washington spent about nine months with the army around Boston.
the people of Great Britain
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Their General did not feel strong enough to fight, so he put his men on ships and sailed away to Halifax.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
operate or control a vehicle
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
one or the other of two
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading Their General did not feel strong enough to fight, so he put his men on ships and sailed away to Halifax.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
set up or found
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading Their General did not feel strong enough to fight, so he put his men on ships and sailed away to Halifax.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
in a gradual manner
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
HalifaxnounUS /ˈhælɪfæks/
provincial capital and largest city of Nova Scotia
From this reading Their General did not feel strong enough to fight, so he put his men on ships and sailed away to Halifax.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
immediately past
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
go away from a place
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
march in a procession
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
the force of workers available
From this reading Their General did not feel strong enough to fight, so he put his men on ships and sailed away to Halifax.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading Washington spent about nine months with the army around Boston.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading Washington spent about nine months with the army around Boston.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
plural of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Their General did not feel strong enough to fight, so he put his men on ships and sailed away to Halifax.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Their General did not feel strong enough to fight, so he put his men on ships and sailed away to Halifax.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
past form of “sail” — traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading Their General did not feel strong enough to fight, so he put his men on ships and sailed away to Halifax.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
plural of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight
From this reading Their General did not feel strong enough to fight, so he put his men on ships and sailed away to Halifax.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading Washington spent about nine months with the army around Boston.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Washington spent about nine months with the army around Boston.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their General did not feel strong enough to fight, so he put his men on ships and sailed away to Halifax.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At last, in March, 1776, the Americans around Boston having gradually pushed closer and closer, the British found that they must either leave or fight.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
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 spent about nine months with the army around Boston.
look attentively
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading So Washington had to wait and watch--he had a good deal of waiting and watching to do all through the war, for that matter.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Several times he was ready to attack the British, and to try and drive them from the city; but his officers were afraid the army was not strong enough.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Washington spent about nine months with the army around Boston.
