adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
accomplishedadjectiveUS /əˈkɑːmplɪʃt/
highly skilled
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
actuallyadverbUS /ˈæktʃuːəli/
in actual fact
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
anxiousadjectiveUS /ˈæŋkʃəs/
eagerly desirous
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/
any thing at all
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
arrow-shot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
attemptnounUS /əˈtempt/
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading The beams of the penthouse were too strong and too heavily weighted with earth to be removed, and the attempt would only have entailed useless slaughter.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There was nothing to be done.
beamsnounUS /biːmz/
plural of “beam” — a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
From this reading The beams of the penthouse were too strong and too heavily weighted with earth to be removed, and the attempt would only have entailed useless slaughter.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
besiegers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/
on the far side of; further than
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
buildingsnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋz/
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
CalaisnounUS /kəˈleɪ/
a town in northern France on the Strait of Dover that serves as a ferry port to England
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
courtyardnounUS /ˈkɔːrt.jɑːrd/
An unroofed area that is completely or partially enclosed by the walls of a house.
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading There was nothing to be done.
doornounUS /dɔːr/
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading The beams of the penthouse were too strong and too heavily weighted with earth to be removed, and the attempt would only have entailed useless slaughter.
effectnounUS /ɪˈfekt/
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
effectedadjectiveUS /ɪˈfektɪd/
settled securely and unconditionally
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
engagedadjectiveUS /enˈɡeɪdʒd/
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
ensconcedverbUS /ɪnˈskɑːnst/
past form of “ensconce” — fix firmly
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
entailedverbUS /ɪnˈteɪld/
past form of “entail” — have as a logical consequence
From this reading The beams of the penthouse were too strong and too heavily weighted with earth to be removed, and the attempt would only have entailed useless slaughter.
enteredverbUS /ˈentərd/
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
forcenounUS /fɔːrs/
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/
the act of departing
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
heavilyadverbUS /ˈhevəli/
to a considerable degree
From this reading The beams of the penthouse were too strong and too heavily weighted with earth to be removed, and the attempt would only have entailed useless slaughter.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
interfereverbUS /ˌɪntərˈfɪr/
come between so as to be hindrance or obstacle
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
keepverbUS /kiːp/
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
keptadjectiveUS /kept/
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
look-out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
mennounUS /men/
the force of workers available
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
necessaryadjectiveUS /ˈnesəseri/
absolutely essential
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There was nothing to be done.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading The beams of the penthouse were too strong and too heavily weighted with earth to be removed, and the attempt would only have entailed useless slaughter.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
overwhelmingadjectiveUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelmɪŋ/
so strong as to be irresistible
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
penthousenounUS /ˈpenthaʊs/
an apartment located on the top floors of a building
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
placedadjectiveUS /pleɪst/
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/
capable of happening or existing
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
ralliedverbUS /ˈrælid/
inflected form of “rally” — gather
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
readinessnounUS /ˈredinəs/
the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action)
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
removeverbUS /riˈmuːv/
remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
removedadjectiveUS /riˈmuːvd/
separated in relationship by a given degree of descent
From this reading The beams of the penthouse were too strong and too heavily weighted with earth to be removed, and the attempt would only have entailed useless slaughter.
repelverbUS /rɪˈpel/
cause to move back by force or influence
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
slaughternounUS /ˈslɔːtər/
the killing of animals (as for food)
From this reading The beams of the penthouse were too strong and too heavily weighted with earth to be removed, and the attempt would only have entailed useless slaughter.
slayingnounUS /ˈsleɪɪŋ/
unlawful premeditated killing of a human being by a human being
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
sortienounUS /ˈsɔːrti/
a military action in which besieged troops burst forth from their position
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
stonesnounUS /stoʊnz/
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading The beams of the penthouse were too strong and too heavily weighted with earth to be removed, and the attempt would only have entailed useless slaughter.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
ThereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was nothing to be done.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was nothing to be done.
tooadverbUS /tuː/
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The beams of the penthouse were too strong and too heavily weighted with earth to be removed, and the attempt would only have entailed useless slaughter.
topnounUS /tɑːp/
the upper part of anything
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
uselessadjectiveUS /ˈjuːsləs/
having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully
From this reading The beams of the penthouse were too strong and too heavily weighted with earth to be removed, and the attempt would only have entailed useless slaughter.
variousadjectiveUS /ˈveriəs/
of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
wallsnounUS /wɔːlz/
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As long as it was light an anxious look-out was kept from the top of the keep towards Calais.
weightedadjectiveUS /ˈweɪtɪd/
made heavy or weighted down with weariness
From this reading The beams of the penthouse were too strong and too heavily weighted with earth to be removed, and the attempt would only have entailed useless slaughter.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
workverbUS /wɜːrk/
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The besiegers who had entered the walls were ensconced in the various buildings in the courtyard or placed behind walls so as to be out of arrow-shot from above, and were in readiness to repel any sortie which might be made to interfere with the work going on under the penthouse.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But no sortie was possible, for to effect this it would be necessary to remove the stones from the door, and before this could be accomplished the besiegers would have rallied in overwhelming force, nor could a sortie have effected anything beyond the slaying of the men actually engaged in the work.
