Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

having fair knowledge of

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

providing enjoyment; pleasantly entertaining

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

a small vessel for travel on water

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

an officer in command of a military unit

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

inflected form of “compel” — force somebody to do something

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

past form of “conduct” — direct the course of; manage or control

From this reading We were conducted out of the way when the officer with the flag of truce entered the fort.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

a challenge to do something dangerous or foolhardy

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

any of various platforms built into a vessel

From this reading "We must obey orders," observed Van Deck.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

having made preparations

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

of or relating to the Netherlands or its people or culture

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading We were conducted out of the way when the officer with the flag of truce entered the fort.

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

plural of “fist” — a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design

From this reading We were conducted out of the way when the officer with the flag of truce entered the fort.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

a fortified military post where troops are stationed

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

pitted with cell-like cavities (as a honeycomb)

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

blouse with a sailor collar

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading "We must obey orders," observed Van Deck.

characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

not any; not one

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

be obedient to

From this reading "We must obey orders," observed Van Deck.

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading "We must obey orders," observed Van Deck.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command

From this reading We were conducted out of the way when the officer with the flag of truce entered the fort.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading "We must obey orders," observed Van Deck.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading We were conducted out of the way when the officer with the flag of truce entered the fort.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

plural of “rampart” — an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

on the contrary

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

very bad

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

in the near future

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

a special situation

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

a state of peace agreed to between opponents so they can discuss peace terms

From this reading We were conducted out of the way when the officer with the flag of truce entered the fort.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)

From this reading "We must obey orders," observed Van Deck.

precisely as stated

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading We were conducted out of the way when the officer with the flag of truce entered the fort.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading "We must obey orders," observed Van Deck.

wanting in physical strength

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading We were conducted out of the way when the officer with the flag of truce entered the fort.

at the time that

From this reading We were conducted out of the way when the officer with the flag of truce entered the fort.

at any time that; every time that

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.

in the company of; together with

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

be the cause or source of

From this reading Of one thing I was very sure, that if the French commandant did not yield with a good grace he would be very soon compelled to do so.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "The fact is, that the commandant is aware that you are acquainted with the weak points of the fort, that the gun-carriages are rotten, and many of the guns are themselves honeycombed or dismounted."

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Looking from the ramparts, however, we could see the boat and the people in her through Van Deck's glass, and a young middy was amusing himself, so it appeared to me, by daring some little Dutch, or rather native boys to come off and fight him, which they seemed in no way disposed to do, for whenever he held up his fists they ran off at a great rate.