used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
aquaticadjectiveUS /əˈkwɑːtɪk/
relating to or consisting of or being in water
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
axesnounUS /ˈæksɪz/
plural of “ax” — an edge tool with a heavy bladed head mounted across a handle
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
barknounUS /bɑːrk/
tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
barricadenounUS /ˈbærəkeɪd/
a barrier set up by police to stop traffic on a street or road in order to catch a fugitive or inspect traffic etc.
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
beaversnounUS /ˈbiːvərz/
plural of “beaver” — the soft brown fur of the beaver
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
CanadianadjectiveUS /kəˈneɪdiən/
of or relating to Canada or its people
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
canoesnounUS /kəˈnuːz/
plural of “canoe” — small and light boat; pointed at both ends; propelled with a paddle
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
ChamplainnounUS /ʃæmˈpleɪn/
French explorer in Nova Scotia who established a settlement on the site of modern Quebec (1567-1635)
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
clamors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
darkenedadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːrkənd/
(of fabrics and paper) grown dark in color over time
From this reading Each party saw the other, and the mingled war-cries pealed over the darkened water.
descried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Each party saw the other, and the mingled war-cries pealed over the darkened water.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
flotillanounUS /floʊˈtɪlə/
a United States Navy fleet consisting of two or more squadrons of small warships
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
hackingverbUS /ˈhækɪŋ/
-ing form of “hack” — cut with a hacking tool
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
hatchetsnounUS /ˈhætʃəts/
plural of “hatchet” — weapon consisting of a fighting ax; used by North American Indians
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
heavieradjectiveUS /ˈheviər/
comparative of “heavy” — of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
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 Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
IroquoisnounUS /ˈɪrəkwɔɪ/
any member of the warlike North American Indian peoples formerly living in New York State; the Iroquois League were allies of the British during the American Revolution
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
laboringadjectiveUS /ˈleɪbərɪŋ/
doing arduous or unpleasant work
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
owning or consisting of land or real estate
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
past form of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else
From this reading Each party saw the other, and the mingled war-cries pealed over the darkened water.
the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
not any; not one
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
oaknounUS /oʊk/
the hard durable wood of any oak; used especially for furniture and flooring
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
plural of “object” — a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Each party saw the other, and the mingled war-cries pealed over the darkened water.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Each party saw the other, and the mingled war-cries pealed over the darkened water.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading Each party saw the other, and the mingled war-cries pealed over the darkened water.
pealed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each party saw the other, and the mingled war-cries pealed over the darkened water.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
with considerable certainty; without much doubt
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
projectingadjectiveUS /prəˈdʒektɪŋ/
extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
cut with a saw
From this reading Each party saw the other, and the mingled war-cries pealed over the darkened water.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
sloweradverbUS /ˈsloʊər/
more slowly
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
stomachnounUS /ˈstʌmək/
an enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal; the principal organ of digestion
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
theirspronounUS /ðerz/
the one or ones belonging to them
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
TiconderoganounUS /taɪˌkɑːndərˈoʊɡə/
a pitched battle in which American revolutionary troops captured Fort Ticonderoga from the British in 1775
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
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 Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
tribesnounUS /traɪbz/
plural of “tribe” — a social division of (usually preliterate) people
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
war-cries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each party saw the other, and the mingled war-cries pealed over the darkened water.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Each party saw the other, and the mingled war-cries pealed over the darkened water.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading These were a flotilla of Iroquois canoes, heavier and slower than theirs, for they were made of oak bark.
at the time that
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was ten o'clock in the evening when, near a projecting point of land, which was probably Ticonderoga, they descried dark objects in motion on the lake before them.
which person or people
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Iroquois, who were near the shore, having no stomach for an aquatic battle, landed, and, making night hideous with their clamors, began to barricade themselves.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Champlain could see them in the woods, laboring like beavers, hacking down trees with iron axes taken from the Canadian tribes in war, and with stone hatchets of their own making.
