used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
accompanimentnounUS /əˈkʌmpnɪmənt/
an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
allowancenounUS /əˈlaʊəns/
an amount allowed or granted (as during a given period)
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
the event of one object coming closer to another
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
awaitedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪtɪd/
expected hopefully
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
call upon in supplication; entreat
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
BEGGINGnounUS /ˈbeɡɪŋ/
a solicitation for money or food (especially in the street by an apparently penniless person)
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
cavalcadenounUS /ˈkævəlkeɪd/
a procession of people traveling on horseback
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
chainedadjectiveUS /tʃeɪnd/
bound with chains
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
chantverbUS /tʃænt/
recite with musical intonation; recite as a chant or a psalm
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
clinkverbUS /klɪŋk/
make a high sound typical of glass
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
compelverbUS /kəmˈpel/
force somebody to do something
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
convictsnounUS /ˈkɑːnvɪkts/
plural of “convict” — a person serving a sentence in a jail or prison
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
EXILESnounUS /ˈeɡzaɪlz/
plural of “exile” — a person who is voluntarily absent from home or country
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
fettersnounUS /ˈfetərz/
plural of “fetter” — a shackle for the ankles or feet
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
having or given a form or shape
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
guardsnounUS /ɡɑːrdz/
plural of “guard” — a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
heart-shaking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
plural of “inhabitant” — a person who inhabits a particular place
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
jingleverbUS /ˈdʒɪŋɡəl/
make a sound typical of metallic objects
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
loudlyadverbUS /ˈlaʊdli/
with relatively high volume
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
engage in
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
march in a procession
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
merestadjectiveUS /ˈmerəst/
superlative of “mere” — being nothing more than specified
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
modulationnounUS /ˌmɑːdʒəˈleɪʃən/
a musical passage moving from one key to another
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
monotonousadjectiveUS /məˈnɑːtənəs/
tediously repetitious or lacking in variety
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
necessitiesnounUS /nəˈsesɪtiz/
plural of “necessity” — the condition of being essential or indispensable
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
and nothing more
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
a human being
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
pitifuladjectiveUS /ˈpɪtəfəl/
inspiring mixed contempt and pity
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
pittancenounUS /ˈpɪtəns/
an inadequate payment
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
plural of “prisoner” — a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
protractedadjectiveUS /proʊˈtræktɪd/
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
quickeradverbUS /ˈkwɪkər/
more quickly
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
routenounUS /ruːt/
an established line of travel or access
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
cut with a saw
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
shrilladjectiveUS /ʃrɪl/
having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
a short musical composition with words
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
sustainverbUS /səˈsteɪn/
lengthen or extend in duration or space
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
townsnounUS /taʊnz/
plural of “town” — an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
tunelessadjective
not having a musical sound or pleasing tune
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
unisonnounUS /ˈjuːnəsən/
corresponding exactly
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading As they drew near to a village, the chained prisoners let their fetters clink and jingle as loudly as possible, to call attention to their passing by.
villagesnounUS /ˈvɪlədʒəz/
plural of “village” — a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Of the towns the exiles saw nothing, but in the villages on their route they were allowed to beg from the inhabitants; for the allowance of money made to each person by the Government was a pitiful pittance, quite too little to sustain life on the merest necessities.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading THE EXILES' BEGGING SONG SO the protracted, monotonous march went on; the only change, a change of guards.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The shrill ring formed an accompaniment to the convicts' begging song, which each man sang, not in unison, but in an almost tuneless chant, which, however, had a heart-shaking modulation of its own.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
of very poor quality or condition
From this reading Some of these made the life more wretched than others; and now and then a captain would compel the whole cavalcade to make a forced march in quicker time than usual, if business or pleasure awaited him in the town they were approaching.
