10
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
advantagenounUS /ædˈvæntɪdʒ/
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
againadverbUS /əˈɡen/
anew
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
artillerynounUS /ɑːrˈtɪləri/
large but transportable armament
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
assaultnounUS /əˈsɔːlt/
close fighting during the culmination of a military attack
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
ATTACKnounUS /əˈtæk/
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
awaitingverbUS /əˈweɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “await” — look forward to the probable occurrence of
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
batteriesnounUS /ˈbætəriz/
plural of “battery” — group of guns or missile launchers operated together at one place
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
cyclonicadjective
of or relating to or characteristic of the atmosphere around a low pressure center
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
doubledadjectiveUS /ˈdʌbəld/
twice as great or many
From this reading But the German guns doubled their response now when the French trebled theirs.
dugoutsnounUS /ˈdʌɡaʊts/
plural of “dugout” — either of two low shelters on either side of a baseball diamond where the players and coaches sit during the game
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
fallverbUS /fɔːl/
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/
start firing a weapon
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
FrenchnounUS /frentʃ/
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
frightfuladjectiveUS /ˈfraɪtfəl/
provoking horror
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
front-line
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
GermannounUS /ˈdʒɜːrmən/
a person of German nationality
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
goverbUS /ɡoʊ/
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
gunsnounUS /ɡʌnz/
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
hournounUS /ˈaʊər/
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
hour-they
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
hurricanenounUS /ˈhɜːrəkeɪn/
a severe tropical cyclone usually with heavy rains and winds moving at 63-136 knots (12 on the Beaufort scale)
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
infantrynounUS /ˈɪnfəntri/
an army unit consisting of soldiers who fight on foot
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/
and nothing more
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
knewverbUS /nuː/
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
knowverbUS /noʊ/
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
lessadverbUS /les/
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
liftedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪftəd/
held up in the air
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
linesnounUS /laɪnz/
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
machine-gun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
meetverbUS /miːt/
come together
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
mennounUS /men/
the force of workers available
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
minutesnounUS /ˈmɪnəts/
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
nearadverbUS /nɪr/
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
offadverbUS /ɔːf/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
poilus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
responsenounUS /rɪˈspɑːns/
a result
From this reading But the German guns doubled their response now when the French trebled theirs.
sweptadjectiveUS /swept/
possessing sweep
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
tennounUS /ten/
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
theirspronounUS /ðerz/
the one or ones belonging to them
From this reading But the German guns doubled their response now when the French trebled theirs.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
threenounUS /θriː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
topnounUS /tɑːp/
the upper part of anything
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
trebledverbUS /ˈtrebəld/
past form of “treble” — sing treble
From this reading But the German guns doubled their response now when the French trebled theirs.
trenchesnounUS /ˈtrentʃɪz/
plural of “trench” — a ditch dug as a fortification having a parapet of the excavated earth
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
tricknounUS /trɪk/
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
tunnelsnounUS /ˈtʌnəlz/
plural of “tunnel” — a passageway through or under something, usually underground (especially one for trains or cars)
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
twonounUS /tuː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE ATTACK It was three minutes to the attack or less, and the hurricane fire of the French artillery swept cyclonic over the German lines.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading When the fire of the French guns lifted, they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault, or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The German batteries, behind, knew that the time was near; but just when it would be, in two minutes, or in ten or in an hour-they did not know.
yardsnounUS /jɑːrdz/
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 A thousand yards away, more or less, as the ground gave advantage, the French front-line trenches were filled with men awaiting the hour of 10--two minutes off now--to go over the top.
