Chapter XIII · Of a Stratagem of War

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading “First the prisoners and then each other,” was their grim jest that had an edge of earnest with it.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

according with custom or propriety

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

the effort contributed by a person in bringing about a result

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading “First the prisoners and then each other,” was their grim jest that had an edge of earnest with it.

characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions

From this reading “First the prisoners and then each other,” was their grim jest that had an edge of earnest with it.

the boundary of a surface

From this reading “First the prisoners and then each other,” was their grim jest that had an edge of earnest with it.

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

provide as food

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

(comparative of “few” used with count nouns) quantifier meaning a smaller number of

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading “First the prisoners and then each other,” was their grim jest that had an edge of earnest with it.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

a period of fourteen consecutive days

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

a fortified military post where troops are stationed

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty

From this reading “First the prisoners and then each other,” was their grim jest that had an edge of earnest with it.

plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

From this reading “First the prisoners and then each other,” was their grim jest that had an edge of earnest with it.

the month following May and preceding July

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

set down according to a plan

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

the force of workers available

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

plural of “mouth” — the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

not any; not one

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading For surrender they would not.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading “First the prisoners and then each other,” was their grim jest that had an edge of earnest with it.

plural of “prisoner” — a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

From this reading “First the prisoners and then each other,” was their grim jest that had an edge of earnest with it.

a stock or supply of foods

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

with speed

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

a state of extreme hunger resulting from lack of essential nutrients over a prolonged period

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

acceptance of despair

From this reading For surrender they would not.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “First the prisoners and then each other,” was their grim jest that had an edge of earnest with it.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading “First the prisoners and then each other,” was their grim jest that had an edge of earnest with it.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading “First the prisoners and then each other,” was their grim jest that had an edge of earnest with it.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

in the direction of

From this reading Day by day the time crept on toward the end of June, and brought no change to the garrison.

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading There were fewer mouths, it is true, to feed now, for disease and battle had laid them under heavy contribution, but the store of provisions was rapidly becoming exhausted.

in the company of; together with

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading A fortnight more, so they believed and said, would bring them face to face with actual starvation, and the city must fall from want of men to line the walls and man the guns.