used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
adversarynounUS /ˈædvərseri/
someone who offers opposition
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
bladesnounUS /bleɪdz/
plural of “blade” — especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
breathlesslyadverbUS /ˈbreθləsli/
in a breathless manner
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
ButlernounUS /ˈbʌtlər/
a manservant (usually the head servant of a household) who has charge of wines and the table
From this reading —Samuel Butler.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
Clifford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
combatsnounUS /kəmˈbæts/
plural of “combat” — an engagement fought between two military forces
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
placed crosswise
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
Drayton's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
duelnounUS /ˈduːəl/
a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
any strong feeling
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
encounterverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntər/
come together
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
an opposing military force
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
evidencedadjectiveUS /ˈevɪdənst/
supported by evidence
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
opinion or judgment
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
fascinationnounUS /ˌfæsəˈneɪʃən/
the state of being intensely interested (as by awe or terror)
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
experiencing or showing fear
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
featnounUS /fiːt/
a notable achievement
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
fumingverbUS /ˈfjuːmɪŋ/
-ing form of “fume” — be mad, angry, or furious
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
inflected form of “hide” — prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
impelledadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpeld/
urged or forced to action through moral pressure
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
initiativenounUS /ˌɪˈnɪʃətɪv/
readiness to embark on bold new ventures
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
immediately past
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
mortalsnounUS /ˈmɔːrtəlz/
plural of “mortal” — a human being
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
not any; not one
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
nobleradjectiveUS /ˈnoʊblər/
comparative of “noble” — impressive in appearance
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
on one occasion
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
Peggy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
quipverbUS /kwɪp/
make jokes or quips
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
(military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
SamuelnounUS /ˈsæmjuːl/
(Old Testament) Hebrew prophet and judge who anointed Saul as king
From this reading —Samuel Butler.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
swordsnounUS /sɔːrdz/
plural of “sword” — a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
carry out
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
the commercial exchange (buying and selling on domestic or international markets) of goods and services
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
uncoveredadjectiveUS /ənˈkʌvərd/
not covered with clothing
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
vehemencenounUS /ˈviːəməns/
intensity or forcefulness of expression
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading “In all trade of war no feat Is nobler than a brave retreat; For those that run away and fly Take place at least of the enemy.”
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But at the first meeting of the blades, impelled by that strange fascination which such combats hold for the best of mortals, she uncovered her eyes and watched the duel breathlessly.
a Caucasian
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
wrathfuladjective
vehemently incensed and condemnatory
From this reading Clifford, white and wrathful, fuming over Drayton’s last quip, at once took the initiative, and advanced upon his adversary with a vehemence that evidenced his emotion plainly.
youthsnounUS /juːðz/
plural of “youth” — a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading Fearful of what might result from the encounter Peggy hid her face in her hands as the two youths crossed swords.
