used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the moments while the besieged held their fire, a hush came upon the church.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
awkwardadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkwərd/
causing inconvenience
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
barricadenounUS /ˈbærəkeɪd/
a barrier set up by police to stop traffic on a street or road in order to catch a fugitive or inspect traffic etc.
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
barriernounUS /ˈbæriər/
a structure or object that impedes free movement
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
besiegedadjectiveUS /bɪˈsiːdʒd/
surrounded by hostile forces
From this reading In the moments while the besieged held their fire, a hush came upon the church.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
brisklyadverbUS /ˈbrɪskli/
in a brisk manner
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading In the moments while the besieged held their fire, a hush came upon the church.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading In the moments while the besieged held their fire, a hush came upon the church.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
plural of “end” — either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
start firing a weapon
From this reading In the moments while the besieged held their fire, a hush came upon the church.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
followersnounUS /ˈfɑːloʊərz/
a group of followers or enthusiasts
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
footfalls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
footholdnounUS /ˈfʊthoʊld/
an area in hostile territory that has been captured and is held awaiting further troops and supplies
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
provided with whatever is necessary for a purpose (as furniture or equipment or authority)
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
heapedverbUS /hiːpt/
past form of “heap” — bestow in large quantities
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading In the moments while the besieged held their fire, a hush came upon the church.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
Hugh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
become quiet or still; fall silent
From this reading In the moments while the besieged held their fire, a hush came upon the church.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
impersonaladjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɜːrsənəl/
not relating to or responsive to individual persons
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the moments while the besieged held their fire, a hush came upon the church.
injuredadjectiveUS /ˈɪndʒərd/
harmed
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
an opinion formed by judging something
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
immediately past
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
most important element
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading In the moments while the besieged held their fire, a hush came upon the church.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
pewsnounUS /pjuːz/
plural of “pew” — long bench with backs; used in church by the congregation
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
reconnoitreverbUS /ˌriːkəˈnɔɪtər/
explore, often with the goal of finding something or somebody
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
cut with a saw
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
scrambleverbUS /ˈskræmbəl/
to move hurriedly
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
move stealthily
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
squadronnounUS /ˈskwɑːdrən/
a cavalry unit consisting of two or more troops and headquarters and supporting arms
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
startlinglyadverbUS /ˈstɑːrtlɪŋliː/
in a startling manner
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
make steady
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the moments while the besieged held their fire, a hush came upon the church.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In the moments while the besieged held their fire, a hush came upon the church.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
tottered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His injured arm made him awkward; at the first step he tottered, and was glad that one of his followers caught him about the body to steady him.
treadverbUS /tred/
put down or press the foot, place the foot
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
unaffectedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnəˈfektɪd/
undergoing no change when acted upon
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
unmovedadjectiveUS /ənˈmuːvd/
emotionally unmoved
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading In the moments while the besieged held their fire, a hush came upon the church.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He saw the floor slip by him and heard his own tread, but it was in an impersonal way, as if it were another man who was to fight that last fight, while he stood by, unmoved and unaffected, and watched and passed judgment.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading In the moments while the besieged held their fire, a hush came upon the church.
which person or people
From this reading Hugh could hear the footfalls startlingly loud as he led his squadron briskly to the main door, but it did not seem it was himself who went forward.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Before him now he saw the entrance door, with the broken pews heaped in a stiff barricade; to the right, beneath the window, the ends of the barrier furnished some foothold, so he started to scramble up and reconnoitre.
