used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _Sergeant_ Cursem could drill anything from an elephant to a baboon.
advertisementnounUS /ædˈvɜːrtəzmənt/
a public promotion of some product or service
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading _Sergeant_ Cursem could drill anything from an elephant to a baboon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
annuallyadverbUS /ˈænjuːəli/
without missing a year
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
any thing at all
From this reading _Sergeant_ Cursem could drill anything from an elephant to a baboon.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
arraynounUS /ərˈeɪ/
an orderly arrangement
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
baboonnounUS /bəˈbuːn/
large terrestrial monkeys having doglike muzzles
From this reading _Sergeant_ Cursem could drill anything from an elephant to a baboon.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading His was a tough job, but he managed it.
ClydenounUS /klaɪd/
a river in western Scotland that flows from the southern uplands into the Firth of Clyde; navigable by oceangoing vessels as far as Glasgow
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading _Sergeant_ Cursem could drill anything from an elephant to a baboon.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
curse-words
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
Cursem
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Sergeant_ Cursem could drill anything from an elephant to a baboon.
defendverbUS /dɪˈfend/
argue or speak in defense of
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
disciplinenounUS /ˈdɪsəplən/
a branch of knowledge
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
drillverbUS /drɪl/
make a hole, especially with a pointed power or hand tool
From this reading _Sergeant_ Cursem could drill anything from an elephant to a baboon.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
eaglenounUS /ˈiːɡəl/
any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
elephantnounUS /ˈeləfənt/
five-toed pachyderm
From this reading _Sergeant_ Cursem could drill anything from an elephant to a baboon.
enlistedverbUS /ˌenˈlɪstɪd/
past form of “enlist” — join the military
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
the organ of sight
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
finestadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəst/
superlative of “fine” — being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
fog-horns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading _Sergeant_ Cursem could drill anything from an elephant to a baboon.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
heirsnounUS /erz/
plural of “heir” — a person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
for this reason
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading His was a tough job, but he managed it.
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading His was a tough job, but he managed it.
KaisernounUS /ˈkaɪzər/
the title of the Holy Roman Emperors or the emperors of Austria or of Germany until 1918
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
Lipton's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
impressiveness in scale or proportion
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading His was a tough job, but he managed it.
motleynounUS /ˈmɑːtli/
a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
moustachenounUS /ˈmʌstæʃ/
an unshaved growth of hair on the upper lip
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
raspingadjective
unpleasantly harsh or grating in sound
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
in accordance with fixed order or procedure or principle
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
resembledverbUS /rɪˈzembəld/
past form of “resemble” — appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
selectedadjectiveUS /səˈlektɪd/
chosen in preference to another
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
any of several noncommissioned officer ranks in the Army or Air Force or Marines ranking above a corporal
From this reading _Sergeant_ Cursem could drill anything from an elephant to a baboon.
speciallyadverbUS /ˈspeʃəli/
in a special manner
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
successorsnounUS /səkˈsesərz/
plural of “successor” — a person who follows next in order
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
thumpverbUS /θʌmp/
move rhythmically
From this reading Of course he was a Regular, one specially selected to thump duty, drill, and discipline into the motley array annually enlisted to defend his Majesty, his heirs and successors.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _Sergeant_ Cursem could drill anything from an elephant to a baboon.
toughadjectiveUS /tʌf/
not given to gentleness or sentimentality
From this reading His was a tough job, but he managed it.
vocabularynounUS /voʊˈkæbjəleri/
a listing of the words used in some enterprise
From this reading He had the eye of an eagle, the moustache of a Kaiser, and the finest vocabulary of curse-words in the Army—hence his name of Cursem.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading His figure was a walking advertisement for Lipton’s, while his voice resembled the rasping fog-horns on the Clyde.
