used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At dusk they crawled cautiously out of their hiding-place and slowly headed northward.
the event of one object coming closer to another
From this reading The clank of harness and the gear of guns and wagons told of approaching artillery or transport, or both.
artillerynounUS /ɑːrˈtɪləri/
large but transportable armament
From this reading The clank of harness and the gear of guns and wagons told of approaching artillery or transport, or both.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At dusk they crawled cautiously out of their hiding-place and slowly headed northward.
the two together, not just one
From this reading The clank of harness and the gear of guns and wagons told of approaching artillery or transport, or both.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
bramblesnounUS /ˈbræmbəlz/
plural of “bramble” — any of various rough thorny shrubs or vines
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The moon came up.
cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading At dusk they crawled cautiously out of their hiding-place and slowly headed northward.
clankverbUS /klæŋk/
make a clank
From this reading The clank of harness and the gear of guns and wagons told of approaching artillery or transport, or both.
comparativelyadverbUS /kəmˈperətɪvli/
in a relative manner; by comparison to something else
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
crawledverbUS /krɔːld/
past form of “crawl” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading At dusk they crawled cautiously out of their hiding-place and slowly headed northward.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
the act of discovering something
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
ditchnounUS /dɪtʃ/
a long narrow excavation in the earth
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
divesnounUS /daɪvz/
plural of “dive” — a cheap disreputable nightclub or dance hall
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
dusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading At dusk they crawled cautiously out of their hiding-place and slowly headed northward.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
gearnounUS /ɡɪr/
a toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion
From this reading The clank of harness and the gear of guns and wagons told of approaching artillery or transport, or both.
GermansnounUS /ˈdʒɜːrmənz/
plural of “german” — a person of German nationality
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading The clank of harness and the gear of guns and wagons told of approaching artillery or transport, or both.
harnessverbUS /ˈhɑːrnəs/
put a harness
From this reading The clank of harness and the gear of guns and wagons told of approaching artillery or transport, or both.
headedadjectiveUS /ˈhedəd/
having a heading or course in a certain direction
From this reading At dusk they crawled cautiously out of their hiding-place and slowly headed northward.
hedgeverbUS /hedʒ/
avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
hiding-place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At dusk they crawled cautiously out of their hiding-place and slowly headed northward.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
interspersedverbUS /ˌɪntərˈspɜːrst/
past form of “intersperse” — place at intervals in or among
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading The moon came up.
northwardadverbUS /ˈnɔːrθwərd/
in a northern direction
From this reading At dusk they crawled cautiously out of their hiding-place and slowly headed northward.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The clank of harness and the gear of guns and wagons told of approaching artillery or transport, or both.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading At dusk they crawled cautiously out of their hiding-place and slowly headed northward.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
roadsidenounUS /ˈroʊdsaɪd/
edge of a way or road or path
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
salliesnounUS /ˈsæliz/
plural of “sally” — witty remark
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading At dusk they crawled cautiously out of their hiding-place and slowly headed northward.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
successionnounUS /səkˈseʃən/
a following of one thing after another in time
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading At dusk they crawled cautiously out of their hiding-place and slowly headed northward.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At dusk they crawled cautiously out of their hiding-place and slowly headed northward.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
tiresomeadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərsəm/
so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading The clank of harness and the gear of guns and wagons told of approaching artillery or transport, or both.
transportnounUS /trænˈspɔːrt/
something that serves as a means of transportation
From this reading The clank of harness and the gear of guns and wagons told of approaching artillery or transport, or both.
underneathprepositionUS /ˌʌndərˈniːθ/
directly under, often hidden by what is above
From this reading Every sound meant Germans to them, and their first mile was a succession of sallies forward, interspersed with sudden dives underneath the hedge by the roadside.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The moon came up.
wagonsnounUS /ˈwæɡənz/
plural of “wagon” — any of various kinds of wheeled vehicles drawn by an animal or a tractor
From this reading The clank of harness and the gear of guns and wagons told of approaching artillery or transport, or both.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading THROUGH THE LINES It was stiff, tiresome work lying quiet in the ditch that day, but with brambles pulled over them the boys were in comparatively little danger of discovery.
