used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
addressingverbUS /əˈdresɪŋ/
-ing form of “address” — speak to
From this reading Their scoutmaster, Armand Van Verde, had been addressing them.
admiringlyadverbUS /ædˈmaɪrɪŋli/
with admiration
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading And now in the fading light of the late afternoon, he dismissed them.
(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 Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
Armand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their scoutmaster, Armand Van Verde, had been addressing them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Their scoutmaster, Armand Van Verde, had been addressing them.
BelgianadjectiveUS /ˈbeldʒən/
of or relating to or characteristic of Belgium or the Belgian people
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
BelgiumnounUS /ˈbeldʒəm/
a monarchy in northwestern Europe; headquarters for the European Union and for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
a youthful male person
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
lacking funds
From this reading At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small individual groups of two or three.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
campaignnounUS /kæmˈpeɪn/
a race between candidates for elective office
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
citizensnounUS /ˈsɪtəzənz/
plural of “citizen” — a native or naturalized member of a state or other political community
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
cladadjectiveUS /klæd/
wearing or provided with clothing; sometimes used in combination
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
dismissedadjectiveUS /dɪˈsmɪst/
having lost your job
From this reading And now in the fading light of the late afternoon, he dismissed them.
cause to move by pulling
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
fadingnounUS /ˈfeɪdɪŋ/
weakening in force or intensity
From this reading And now in the fading light of the late afternoon, he dismissed them.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small individual groups of two or three.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
groupsnounUS /ɡruːps/
plural of “group” — any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small individual groups of two or three.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Their scoutmaster, Armand Van Verde, had been addressing them.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
hatsnounUS /hæts/
plural of “hat” — headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And now in the fading light of the late afternoon, he dismissed them.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small individual groups of two or three.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small individual groups of two or three.
khakiadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːki/
of a yellowish brown color
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
knickerbockersnounUS /ˈnɪkərbɑːkərz/
(used in the plural) trousers ending above the knee
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading And now in the fading light of the late afternoon, he dismissed them.
LiegenounUS /liːdʒ/
a person holding a fief; a person who owes allegiance and service to a feudal lord
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading And now in the fading light of the late afternoon, he dismissed them.
attach a tag or label to
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading And now in the fading light of the late afternoon, he dismissed them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
on one occasion
From this reading At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small individual groups of two or three.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small individual groups of two or three.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
patrolsnounUS /pəˈtroʊlz/
plural of “patrol” — a detachment used for security or reconnaissance
From this reading At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small individual groups of two or three.
people in general considered as a whole
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
ScoutnounUS /skaʊt/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
scoutmasternounUS /ˈskaʊtmæstər/
the leader of a troop of Scouts
From this reading Their scoutmaster, Armand Van Verde, had been addressing them.
ScoutsnounUS /skaʊts/
plural of “scout” — a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
shirtsnounUS /ʃɜːrts/
plural of “shirt” — a garment worn on the upper half of the body
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small individual groups of two or three.
spectaclenounUS /ˈspektəkəl/
something or someone seen (especially a notable or unusual sight)
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
make square
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
StaffsnounUS /stæfs/
plural of “staff” — personnel who assist their superior in carrying out an assigned task
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their scoutmaster, Armand Van Verde, had been addressing them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small individual groups of two or three.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small individual groups of two or three.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
troopnounUS /truːp/
a group of soldiers
From this reading In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small individual groups of two or three.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small individual groups of two or three.
any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)
From this reading Their scoutmaster, Armand Van Verde, had been addressing them.
Verde
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their scoutmaster, Armand Van Verde, had been addressing them.
look attentively
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
which person or people
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Staffs in hand, clad in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who stopped to watch them admiringly.
