used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
(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 Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
annoyedadjectiveUS /əˈnɔɪd/
aroused to impatience or anger
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
any thing at all
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading We were in the rear of the army as it fell back upon Centreville, formed in line as a reserve.
artillerynounUS /ɑːrˈtɪləri/
large but transportable armament
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading We were in the rear of the army as it fell back upon Centreville, formed in line as a reserve.
bangverbUS /bæŋ/
strike violently
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
boundedadjectiveUS /ˈbaʊndəd/
having the limits or boundaries established
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
cavalrynounUS /ˈkævəlri/
troops trained to fight on horseback
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
Centreville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We were in the rear of the army as it fell back upon Centreville, formed in line as a reserve.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
describingverbUS /dɪˈskraɪbɪŋ/
-ing form of “describe” — give a description of
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
an opposing military force
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
-ing form of “expect” — regard something as probable or likely
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading We were in the rear of the army as it fell back upon Centreville, formed in line as a reserve.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
having or given a form or shape
From this reading We were in the rear of the army as it fell back upon Centreville, formed in line as a reserve.
foursnounUS /fɔːrz/
plural of “four” — the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We were in the rear of the army as it fell back upon Centreville, formed in line as a reserve.
infantrynounUS /ˈɪnfəntri/
an army unit consisting of soldiers who fight on foot
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
the act of departing
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading We were in the rear of the army as it fell back upon Centreville, formed in line as a reserve.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
engage in
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
on one occasion
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
and nothing more
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
puffverbUS /pʌf/
smoke and exhale strongly
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading We were in the rear of the army as it fell back upon Centreville, formed in line as a reserve.
rebelsnounUS /ˈrebəlz/
plural of “rebel” — “Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
reservenounUS /rɪˈzɜːrv/
formality and propriety of manner
From this reading We were in the rear of the army as it fell back upon Centreville, formed in line as a reserve.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
express in words
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
screechnounUS /skriːtʃ/
a high-pitched noise resembling a human cry
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
sensationsnounUS /senˈseɪʃənz/
plural of “sensation” — an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
shellnounUS /ʃel/
ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
make steady
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
in or at that place or location
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading We were in the rear of the army as it fell back upon Centreville, formed in line as a reserve.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We were in the rear of the army as it fell back upon Centreville, formed in line as a reserve.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Two days afterwards I heard, for the first time, the sound of a shell; and I might as well make a clean breast of it, once for all, by describing my sensations.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We were in the rear of the army as it fell back upon Centreville, formed in line as a reserve.
at the time that
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
showing curiosity
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us.
