used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In a world a very long way off and in the depths of their hearts were England and Claire.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
blackenedadjectiveUS /ˈblækənd/
darkened by smoke
From this reading They spent three weeks in the trenches, blackened and water clogged and weary.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading The men suffered to the limit of their vitality and sometimes passed it; they needed constant care and watching.
Claire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In a world a very long way off and in the depths of their hearts were England and Claire.
claynounUS /kleɪ/
a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
cloggedadjectiveUS /klɔːɡd/
thickened or coalesced in soft thick lumps (such as clogs or clots)
From this reading They spent three weeks in the trenches, blackened and water clogged and weary.
unvarying in nature
From this reading The men suffered to the limit of their vitality and sometimes passed it; they needed constant care and watching.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
darkestadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːrkəst/
superlative of “dark” — devoid of or deficient in light or brightness; shadowed or black
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/
the last (12th) month of the year
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
(plural) the deepest and most remote part
From this reading In a world a very long way off and in the depths of their hearts were England and Claire.
drainingadjectiveUS /ˈdreɪnɪŋ/
having a debilitating effect
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading In a world a very long way off and in the depths of their hearts were England and Claire.
exactingadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzæktɪŋ/
having complicated nutritional requirements; especially growing only in special artificial cultures
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading In a world a very long way off and in the depths of their hearts were England and Claire.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In a world a very long way off and in the depths of their hearts were England and Claire.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
limitnounUS /ˈlɪmət/
the greatest possible degree of something
From this reading The men suffered to the limit of their vitality and sometimes passed it; they needed constant care and watching.
Lionel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading In a world a very long way off and in the depths of their hearts were England and Claire.
the force of workers available
From this reading The men suffered to the limit of their vitality and sometimes passed it; they needed constant care and watching.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading The men suffered to the limit of their vitality and sometimes passed it; they needed constant care and watching.
not any; not one
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading In a world a very long way off and in the depths of their hearts were England and Claire.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The men suffered to the limit of their vitality and sometimes passed it; they needed constant care and watching.
regimentverbUS /ˈredʒəmənt/
subject to rigid discipline, order, and systematization
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading The men suffered to the limit of their vitality and sometimes passed it; they needed constant care and watching.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading They spent three weeks in the trenches, blackened and water clogged and weary.
past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to
From this reading The men suffered to the limit of their vitality and sometimes passed it; they needed constant care and watching.
surfacesnounUS /ˈsɜːrfəsəz/
plural of “surface” — the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In a world a very long way off and in the depths of their hearts were England and Claire.
in or at that place or location
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They spent three weeks in the trenches, blackened and water clogged and weary.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading They spent three weeks in the trenches, blackened and water clogged and weary.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
treacherousadjectiveUS /ˈtretʃərəs/
dangerously unstable and unpredictable
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
trenchesnounUS /ˈtrentʃɪz/
plural of “trench” — a ditch dug as a fortification having a parapet of the excavated earth
From this reading They spent three weeks in the trenches, blackened and water clogged and weary.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
precisely as stated
From this reading In a world a very long way off and in the depths of their hearts were England and Claire.
vitalitynounUS /vaɪˈtæləti/
an energetic style
From this reading The men suffered to the limit of their vitality and sometimes passed it; they needed constant care and watching.
waistsnounUS /weɪsts/
plural of “waist” — the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the darkest time of a dark December, the water was up to their waists, there was no draining the treacherous clay surfaces.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading The men suffered to the limit of their vitality and sometimes passed it; they needed constant care and watching.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading They spent three weeks in the trenches, blackened and water clogged and weary.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading In a world a very long way off and in the depths of their hearts were England and Claire.
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading They spent three weeks in the trenches, blackened and water clogged and weary.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading They spent three weeks in the trenches, blackened and water clogged and weary.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In a world a very long way off and in the depths of their hearts were England and Claire.
Winn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lionel and Winn talked of the regiment and the war; these two things filled the exacting hours.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading In a world a very long way off and in the depths of their hearts were England and Claire.
