used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN END OF HIDING.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Madge, as captain, neglected no opportunity of ensuring the safety of her followers.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
Betty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Madge, as captain, neglected no opportunity of ensuring the safety of her followers.
cavaliersnounUS /ˌkævəˈlɪrz/
plural of “cavalier” — a gallant or courtly gentleman
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
concealmentnounUS /kənˈsiːlmənt/
the condition of being concealed or hidden
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
Cromwell'snounUS /ˈkrɑːmwɪlz/
possessive form of “cromwell” — English general and statesman who led the parliamentary army in the English Civil War (1599-1658)
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
crouchverbUS /kraʊtʃ/
bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/
(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading AN END OF HIDING.
ensuringverbUS /enˈʃʊrɪŋ/
-ing form of “ensure” — make certain of
From this reading Madge, as captain, neglected no opportunity of ensuring the safety of her followers.
divisible by two
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
the state or fact of existing
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
followersnounUS /ˈfɑːloʊərz/
a group of followers or enthusiasts
From this reading Madge, as captain, neglected no opportunity of ensuring the safety of her followers.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
set up or found
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Madge, as captain, neglected no opportunity of ensuring the safety of her followers.
HIDINGnounUS /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/
the activity of keeping something secret
From this reading AN END OF HIDING.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
discontinued temporarily
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
loftnounUS /lɔːft/
floor consisting of a large unpartitioned space over a factory or warehouse or other commercial space
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
Madge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
used to form the superlative
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
neglectedadjectiveUS /nəˈɡlektəd/
disregarded
From this reading Madge, as captain, neglected no opportunity of ensuring the safety of her followers.
not any; not one
From this reading Madge, as captain, neglected no opportunity of ensuring the safety of her followers.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AN END OF HIDING.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
Roundheads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions
From this reading Madge, as captain, neglected no opportunity of ensuring the safety of her followers.
only a very short time before
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
sharp-sightedadjective
having very keen vision
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
and nothing more
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
not in physical motion
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
believed likely
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At the earliest opportunity on the following day Madge, Betty, and John returned to the loft to finish their interrupted game.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
in or at the place that
From this reading They were three cavaliers hiding from Cromwell's soldiers, and really a better place of concealment could not have been found than the loft, where by simply closing a door they were in almost complete darkness.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She made them crouch down behind the straw, and lie so still that even the most sharp-sighted Roundheads would scarcely have suspected their existence.
