used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The larger one veiled a hill that just showed itself above the lava field.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The larger one veiled a hill that just showed itself above the lava field.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading The large cloud was from the Mexican batteries, the smaller cloud from the American guns.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
artillerynounUS /ɑːrˈtɪləri/
large but transportable armament
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was a battle at last.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
batteriesnounUS /ˈbætəriz/
plural of “battery” — group of guns or missile launchers operated together at one place
From this reading The large cloud was from the Mexican batteries, the smaller cloud from the American guns.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading It was a battle at last.
boomingadjectiveUS /ˈbuːmɪŋ/
very lively and profitable
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
the two together, not just one
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
bristlingverbUS /ˈbrɪsəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “bristle” — be in a state of movement or action
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading The large cloud was from the Mexican batteries, the smaller cloud from the American guns.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
crashverbUS /kræʃ/
fall or come down violently
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading The larger one veiled a hill that just showed itself above the lava field.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The large cloud was from the Mexican batteries, the smaller cloud from the American guns.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading The large cloud was from the Mexican batteries, the smaller cloud from the American guns.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The larger one veiled a hill that just showed itself above the lava field.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a battle at last.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The larger one veiled a hill that just showed itself above the lava field.
and nothing more
From this reading The larger one veiled a hill that just showed itself above the lava field.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The large cloud was from the Mexican batteries, the smaller cloud from the American guns.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading The larger one veiled a hill that just showed itself above the lava field.
immediately past
From this reading It was a battle at last.
lavanounUS /ˈlɑːvə/
rock that in its molten form (as magma) issues from volcanos; lava is what magma is called when it reaches the surface
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
MexicannounUS /ˈmeksəkən/
a native or inhabitant of Mexico
From this reading The large cloud was from the Mexican batteries, the smaller cloud from the American guns.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
musketrynoun
musketeers and their muskets collectively
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The larger one veiled a hill that just showed itself above the lava field.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
uttered with a trill
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The larger one veiled a hill that just showed itself above the lava field.
small or little relative to something else
From this reading The large cloud was from the Mexican batteries, the smaller cloud from the American guns.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
SpeedilyadverbUS /ˈspiːdəli/
with speed
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The larger one veiled a hill that just showed itself above the lava field.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then about the middle of the afternoon the dull booming of artillery and the crash of musketry came rolling across the bristling lava.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
veiledadjectiveUS /veɪld/
having or as if having a veil or concealing cover
From this reading The larger one veiled a hill that just showed itself above the lava field.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a battle at last.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Speedily two clouds of smoke rose toward the sun; both were three or four miles away.
