Chapter XXXIV · A Brief Truce and What Followed It

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

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

having the benefit of careful prior consideration or counsel

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

later than; following

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

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

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

close fighting during the culmination of a military attack

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

disposed to attack

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading At length, Shirley, who was in favor of strategy, stepped back from under the rock and called up:

positioned so as to be ready for confrontation or danger

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading At length, Shirley, who was in favor of strategy, stepped back from under the rock and called up:

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

-ing form of “consult” — get or ask advice from

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading "Hello, down there!" was Sam’s response.

plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

promote over another

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading At length, Shirley, who was in favor of strategy, stepped back from under the rock and called up:

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

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

an expression of greeting

From this reading "Hello! hello! up there!"

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

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

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

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading At length, Shirley, who was in favor of strategy, stepped back from under the rock and called up:

the force of workers available

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

on one occasion

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

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

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

causing physical or psychological pain

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

a result

From this reading "Hello, down there!" was Sam’s response.

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

possessive form of “sam” — a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

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

From this reading At length, Shirley, who was in favor of strategy, stepped back from under the rock and called up:

inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step

From this reading At length, Shirley, who was in favor of strategy, stepped back from under the rock and called up:

an elaborate and systematic plan of action

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

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

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

in or at that place or location

From this reading "Hello! hello! up there!"

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

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

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

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

From this reading At length, Shirley, who was in favor of strategy, stepped back from under the rock and called up:

plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading After a painful wait, Sam heard voices under the rock, and he braced himself for the expected assault.

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

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

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

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

during the time that

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.

which person or people

From this reading At length, Shirley, who was in favor of strategy, stepped back from under the rock and called up:

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading The men were evidently consulting, and one was in favor of attacking at once, while the others advised "strategy;" this was the one word that came distinctly to Sam’s ears.