used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading "Do you surrender, or not?" came the words, after an awkward pause.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
awkwardadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkwərd/
causing inconvenience
From this reading "Do you surrender, or not?" came the words, after an awkward pause.
barrelsnounUS /ˈbærəlz/
the amount that many barrels might hold
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The sight made Larry shiver, for he had never before met the rebel soldiers at such close quarters.
any cognitive content held as true
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
the two together, not just one
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "Do you surrender, or not?" came the words, after an awkward pause.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading The sight made Larry shiver, for he had never before met the rebel soldiers at such close quarters.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
an urgent or peremptory request
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Do you surrender, or not?" came the words, after an awkward pause.
dumfoundedadjective
as if struck dumb with astonishment and surprise
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
ENCOUNTERverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntər/
come together
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
communicated in words
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The sight made Larry shiver, for he had never before met the rebel soldiers at such close quarters.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The sight made Larry shiver, for he had never before met the rebel soldiers at such close quarters.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
hornet'snounUS /ˈhɔːrnəts/
possessive form of “hornet” — large stinging paper wasp
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
hutsnounUS /hʌts/
plural of “hut” — temporary military shelter
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
insurgentsnounUS /ˌɪnˈsɜːrdʒənts/
plural of “insurgent” — a person who takes part in an armed rebellion against the constituted authority (especially in the hope of improving conditions)
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
Larry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
LukenounUS /luːk/
(New Testament) the Apostle closely associated with St. Paul and traditionally assumed to be the author of the third Gospel
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
MausernounUS /ˈmaʊsər/
German arms manufacturer and inventor of a repeating rifle and pistol (1838-1914)
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading The sight made Larry shiver, for he had never before met the rebel soldiers at such close quarters.
mildlyadverbUS /ˈmaɪldli/
to a moderate degree
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading The sight made Larry shiver, for he had never before met the rebel soldiers at such close quarters.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Do you surrender, or not?" came the words, after an awkward pause.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "Do you surrender, or not?" came the words, after an awkward pause.
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading "Do you surrender, or not?" came the words, after an awkward pause.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
housing available for people to live in
From this reading The sight made Larry shiver, for he had never before met the rebel soldiers at such close quarters.
rebelnounUS /ˈrebəl/
“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms
From this reading The sight made Larry shiver, for he had never before met the rebel soldiers at such close quarters.
reg'lar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
retreatednounUS /riˈtriːtəd/
people who have retreated
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
riflesnounUS /ˈraɪfəlz/
plural of “rifle” — a shoulder firearm with a long barrel and a rifled bore
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
express in words
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
shiververbUS /ˈʃɪvər/
tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
From this reading The sight made Larry shiver, for he had never before met the rebel soldiers at such close quarters.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading The sight made Larry shiver, for he had never before met the rebel soldiers at such close quarters.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading The sight made Larry shiver, for he had never before met the rebel soldiers at such close quarters.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The sight made Larry shiver, for he had never before met the rebel soldiers at such close quarters.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
surrendernounUS /sərˈendər/
acceptance of despair
From this reading "Do you surrender, or not?" came the words, after an awkward pause.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had been of the firm belief that the insurgents had retreated, and to find themselves in a "reg'lar hornet's nest," as Luke afterward expressed it, dumfounded them.
push forcefully
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
precisely as stated
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
the words that are spoken
From this reading "Do you surrender, or not?" came the words, after an awkward pause.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading AN ENCOUNTER AT THE RIVER To say that both Larry and his old friend were surprised at the sudden demand which had been made upon them would be to put the truth very mildly.
but in spite of that
From this reading It was dark about the huts, yet not so dim but that they could see the barrels of several Mauser rifles thrust toward them.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Do you surrender, or not?" came the words, after an awkward pause.
