AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A SKIRMISH.
abruptadjectiveUS /əˈbrʌpt/
marked by sudden changes in subject and sharp transitions
From this reading Behind them the troop came to an abrupt stop.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Behind them the troop came to an abrupt stop.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind them the troop came to an abrupt stop.
BritishnounUS /ˈbrɪtɪʃ/
the people of Great Britain
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Behind them the troop came to an abrupt stop.
cavalrymen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
ChesternounUS /ˈtʃestər/
a city of southeastern Pennsylvania on the Delaware river (an industrial suburb of Philadelphia)
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
deadlyadjectiveUS /ˈdedli/
causing or capable of causing death
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
drewnounUS /druː/
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
dunesnounUS /duːnz/
plural of “dune” — a ridge of sand created by the wind; found in deserts or near lakes and oceans
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
fournounUS /fɔːr/
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
FromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
fusilladenounUS /ˈfjuːsɪleɪd/
rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
Hal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
handsnounUS /hændz/
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
haunches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
hitverbUS /hɪt/
cause to move by striking
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
horsesnounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
inactiveadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnæktɪv/
(chemistry) not participating in a chemical reaction; chemically inert
From this reading Hal and Chester were inactive no longer.
leftnounUS /left/
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/
for more time
From this reading Hal and Chester were inactive no longer.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Hal and Chester were inactive no longer.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
protectionnounUS /prəˈtekʃən/
the activity of protecting someone or something
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
pullingnounUS /ˈpʊlɪŋ/
the act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
reinsnounUS /reɪnz/
plural of “rein” — one of a pair of long straps (usually connected to the bit or the headpiece) used to control a horse
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
revolversnounUS /rɪˈvɑːlvərz/
plural of “revolver” — a pistol with a revolving cylinder (usually having six chambers for bullets)
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
rightadverbUS /raɪt/
precisely, exactly
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
sandnounUS /sænd/
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
SKIRMISHnounUS /ˈskɜːrmɪʃ/
a minor short-term fight
From this reading A SKIRMISH.
stopverbUS /stɑːp/
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading Behind them the troop came to an abrupt stop.
suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
SurprisedadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzd/
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
tautadjectiveUS /tɔːt/
pulled or drawn tight
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Behind them the troop came to an abrupt stop.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Behind them the troop came to an abrupt stop.
troopnounUS /truːp/
a group of soldiers
From this reading Behind them the troop came to an abrupt stop.
volleynounUS /ˈvɑːli/
rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms
From this reading From the protection of the sand dunes then came a second volley, more deadly than the first, and four more British cavalrymen hit the ground.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Hal and Chester were inactive no longer.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Surprised at the sudden fusillade, Hal and Chester drew taut the reins with their left hands, pulling their horses back on their haunches, while with their right hands they drew their revolvers.
