used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading With no other tools than their knives the Englishmen made a boat of small pieces of wood.
Boulogne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
the people of Great Britain
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
capturedverbUS /ˈkæptʃərd/
past form of “capture” — succeed in representing or expressing something intangible
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
centraladjectiveUS /ˈsentrəl/
serving as an essential component
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
plural of “chance” — a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
confinedadjectiveUS /kənˈfaɪnd/
not invading healthy tissue
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading For a long time they could get no further.
the act of departing
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
EnglishmennounUS /ˌeŋˈlɪʃmən/
plural of “englishman” — a man who is a native or inhabitant of England
From this reading With no other tools than their knives the Englishmen made a boat of small pieces of wood.
having escaped, especially from confinement
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a long time they could get no further.
a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading For a long time they could get no further.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading For a long time they could get no further.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
knivesnounUS /naɪvz/
plural of “knife” — edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading With no other tools than their knives the Englishmen made a boat of small pieces of wood.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions on one's way of life.
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
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 For a long time they could get no further.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
the force of workers available
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
NapoleonnounUS /nəˈpoʊliən/
French general who became emperor of the French (1769-1821)
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
not any; not one
From this reading For a long time they could get no further.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading With no other tools than their knives the Englishmen made a boat of small pieces of wood.
plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole
From this reading With no other tools than their knives the Englishmen made a boat of small pieces of wood.
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
resistedverbUS /rɪˈzɪstɪd/
past form of “resist” — elude, especially in a baffling way
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
determined
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
plural of “sailor” — any member of a ship's crew
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading With no other tools than their knives the Englishmen made a boat of small pieces of wood.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
carry out
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading With no other tools than their knives the Englishmen made a boat of small pieces of wood.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a long time they could get no further.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For a long time they could get no further.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The love of home and liberty at length grew too strong to be resisted, and they resolved to take chances on their departure.
toolsnounUS /tuːlz/
plural of “tool” — an implement used in the practice of a vocation
From this reading With no other tools than their knives the Englishmen made a boat of small pieces of wood.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
warsnounUS /wɔːrz/
plural of “war” — the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading During one of his wars Napoleon captured two British sailors and confined them in a prison in central France.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With no other tools than their knives the Englishmen made a boat of small pieces of wood.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The men escaped and made their way to Boulogne on the sea coast, without being discovered.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading With no other tools than their knives the Englishmen made a boat of small pieces of wood.
