used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
artillerynounUS /ɑːrˈtɪləri/
large but transportable armament
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading On the right, however, a half mile away, was a sharp rise of ground and tall trees.
battlefieldnounUS /ˈbætəlfiːld/
a region where a battle is being (or has been) fought
From this reading Then it was that they first realized the experience of standing on a battlefield.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
brightlyadverbUS /ˈbraɪtli/
with brightness
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
conicaladjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnɪkəl/
relating to or resembling a cone
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
traveling across
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
recognizable; marked
From this reading Toward this point they decided to proceed.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
diameternounUS /daɪˈæmətər/
the length of a straight line passing through the center of a circle and connecting two points on the circumference
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading Then it was that they first realized the experience of standing on a battlefield.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Then it was that they first realized the experience of standing on a battlefield.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading On the right, however, a half mile away, was a sharp rise of ground and tall trees.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading On the right, however, a half mile away, was a sharp rise of ground and tall trees.
holesnounUS /hoʊlz/
plural of “hole” — an opening into or through something
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading On the right, however, a half mile away, was a sharp rise of ground and tall trees.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Then it was that they first realized the experience of standing on a battlefield.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading On the right, however, a half mile away, was a sharp rise of ground and tall trees.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
not any; not one
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading Toward this point they decided to proceed.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
continue talking
From this reading Toward this point they decided to proceed.
projectilesnounUS /prəˈdʒektəlz/
plural of “projectile” — a weapon that is forcibly thrown or projected at a targets but is not self-propelled
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
ravagesnounUS /ˈrævɪdʒɪz/
plural of “ravage” — (usually plural) a destructive action
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading Then it was that they first realized the experience of standing on a battlefield.
precisely, exactly
From this reading On the right, however, a half mile away, was a sharp rise of ground and tall trees.
move upward
From this reading On the right, however, a half mile away, was a sharp rise of ground and tall trees.
cut with a saw
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading On the right, however, a half mile away, was a sharp rise of ground and tall trees.
marked by exceptional merit
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading Crossing the field they saw the ravages of artillery projectiles--deep, conical holes, five or six feet in diameter.
having a supporting base
From this reading Then it was that they first realized the experience of standing on a battlefield.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading On the right, however, a half mile away, was a sharp rise of ground and tall trees.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then it was that they first realized the experience of standing on a battlefield.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Toward this point they decided to proceed.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Toward this point they decided to proceed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Toward this point they decided to proceed.
TowardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Toward this point they decided to proceed.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading On the right, however, a half mile away, was a sharp rise of ground and tall trees.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The moon was shining brightly, and over the plain that stretched out before them on the left the boys could see quite a distance, but no sign of human life presented itself.
