used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was a great ugly knife-wound.
anew
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
Alexandrovitch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Captain Alexandrovitch had been stabbed to the heart!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Captain Alexandrovitch had been stabbed to the heart!
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The sullen roar of the big guns, and the sharp rattle from the rifle-pits, quickly placed us on the defence.
lacking funds
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
cannonnounUS /ˈkænən/
a large artillery gun that is usually on wheels
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Captain Alexandrovitch had been stabbed to the heart!
defencenounUS /dɪˈfens/
(psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
From this reading The sullen roar of the big guns, and the sharp rattle from the rifle-pits, quickly placed us on the defence.
explosionnounUS /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/
a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
start firing a weapon
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The sullen roar of the big guns, and the sharp rattle from the rifle-pits, quickly placed us on the defence.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading There was a great ugly knife-wound.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading The sullen roar of the big guns, and the sharp rattle from the rifle-pits, quickly placed us on the defence.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Captain Alexandrovitch had been stabbed to the heart!
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Captain Alexandrovitch had been stabbed to the heart!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
knife-wound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a great ugly knife-wound.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
a particular point in time
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The sullen roar of the big guns, and the sharp rattle from the rifle-pits, quickly placed us on the defence.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading The sullen roar of the big guns, and the sharp rattle from the rifle-pits, quickly placed us on the defence.
Plevnanoun
the town was taken from the Turks by the Russians in 1877 after a siege of 143 days
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
proximitynounUS /prɑːkˈsɪməti/
the property of being close together
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
with speed
From this reading The sullen roar of the big guns, and the sharp rattle from the rifle-pits, quickly placed us on the defence.
rattleverbUS /ˈrætəl/
make short successive sounds
From this reading The sullen roar of the big guns, and the sharp rattle from the rifle-pits, quickly placed us on the defence.
redoubts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
rifle-pits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sullen roar of the big guns, and the sharp rattle from the rifle-pits, quickly placed us on the defence.
make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles
From this reading The sullen roar of the big guns, and the sharp rattle from the rifle-pits, quickly placed us on the defence.
rumbleverbUS /ˈrʌmbəl/
make a low noise
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading The sullen roar of the big guns, and the sharp rattle from the rifle-pits, quickly placed us on the defence.
shellnounUS /ʃel/
ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
stabbedverbUS /stæbd/
inflected form of “stab” — use a knife on
From this reading Captain Alexandrovitch had been stabbed to the heart!
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
sullenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌlən/
showing a brooding ill humor
From this reading The sullen roar of the big guns, and the sharp rattle from the rifle-pits, quickly placed us on the defence.
a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
terrificadjectiveUS /tərˈɪfɪk/
very great or intense
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Captain Alexandrovitch had been stabbed to the heart!
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a great ugly knife-wound.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Captain Alexandrovitch had been stabbed to the heart!
displeasing to the senses
From this reading There was a great ugly knife-wound.
offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The redoubts of Plevna had opened fire upon us again, and a shell had burst in unpleasant proximity to my tent.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading At that moment the loud rumble of cannon broke the stillness, and a second later there was a vivid flash of light, followed by a terrific explosion.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a great ugly knife-wound.
