Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

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

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

forsake, leave behind

From this reading Ambrose wished to abandon the house for the Catholic church up the river.

a defendant in a criminal proceeding

From this reading ACCUSED.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

(Roman Catholic Church) Roman priest who became bishop of Milan

From this reading Ambrose wished to abandon the house for the Catholic church up the river.

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

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

plural of “bullet” — a projectile that is fired from a gun

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

of or relating to or supporting Catholicism

From this reading Ambrose wished to abandon the house for the Catholic church up the river.

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading Ambrose wished to abandon the house for the Catholic church up the river.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

plural of “defender” — a person who cares for persons or property

From this reading The long suspense wore terribly on the defenders of the house.

(often used in combination) having a specified direction

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

start firing a weapon

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Ambrose wished to abandon the house for the Catholic church up the river.

a fortified defensive structure

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

provoking horror

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The long suspense wore terribly on the defenders of the house.

(chemistry) not participating in a chemical reaction; chemically inert

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

evidencing the possession of inside information

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

the act of hearing attentively

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

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 The long suspense wore terribly on the defenders of the house.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

a particular point in time

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

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

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

an uneasy psychological state

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The long suspense wore terribly on the defenders of the house.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The long suspense wore terribly on the defenders of the house.

participate in games or sport

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

a safe place

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading Ambrose wished to abandon the house for the Catholic church up the river.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

apprehension about what is going to happen

From this reading The long suspense wore terribly on the defenders of the house.

used as intensifiers

From this reading The long suspense wore terribly on the defenders of the house.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

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

From this reading The long suspense wore terribly on the defenders of the house.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

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

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Ambrose wished to abandon the house for the Catholic church up the river.

stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

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

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

the act of observing; taking a patient look

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.

at the time that

From this reading When the attack should come all knew that their refuge was more like a trap than a fortress.

past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish

From this reading Ambrose wished to abandon the house for the Catholic church up the river.

inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in

From this reading The long suspense wore terribly on the defenders of the house.

uttering a loud inarticulate cry as of pain or excitement

From this reading To wait inactive, listening to the frightful yelling and watching the play of the fire, not knowing at what moment yelling, bullets, and fire might be directed at themselves, was disorganizing to the stoutest nerves.