adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
AgainadverbUS /əˈɡen/
anew
From this reading Again and again we loaded and fired, sweeping away those in front of us, but always others came to take their places.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
ALLAN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
allowverbUS /əˈlaʊ/
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/
in addition
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Again and again we loaded and fired, sweeping away those in front of us, but always others came to take their places.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
arrangedadjectiveUS /ərˈeɪndʒd/
disposed or placed in a particular kind of order
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
barbariansnounUS /bɑːrˈberiənz/
plural of “barbarian” — a member of an uncivilized people
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
braveadjectiveUS /breɪv/
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
bundlenounUS /ˈbʌndəl/
a collection of things wrapped or boxed together
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
carriedverbUS /ˈkærid/
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
casualtiesnounUS /ˈkæʒəwəltiz/
plural of “casualty” — someone injured or killed or captured or missing in a military engagement
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
cloudverbUS /klaʊd/
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
deathnounUS /deθ/
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
fallingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlɪŋ/
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
fearverbUS /fɪr/
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
fiftynounUS /ˈfɪfti/
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/
start firing a weapon
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading Again and again we loaded and fired, sweeping away those in front of us, but always others came to take their places.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
frontnounUS /frʌnt/
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading Again and again we loaded and fired, sweeping away those in front of us, but always others came to take their places.
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
hordenounUS /hɔːrd/
a vast multitude
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/
ten 10s
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
keptadjectiveUS /kept/
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
killedverbUS /kɪld/
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
leastadjectiveUS /liːst/
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
loadedadjectiveUS /ˈloʊdɪd/
filled with a great quantity
From this reading Again and again we loaded and fired, sweeping away those in front of us, but always others came to take their places.
loopsnounUS /luːps/
plural of “loop” — fastener consisting of a metal ring for lining a small hole to permit the attachment of cords or lines
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
marshalledverbUS /ˈmɑːrʃəld/
inflected form of “marshal” — place in proper rank
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
mennounUS /men/
the force of workers available
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
narrowverbUS /ˈneroʊ/
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
numbernounUS /ˈnʌmbər/
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
occurverbUS /əˈkɜːr/
come to pass
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Again and again we loaded and fired, sweeping away those in front of us, but always others came to take their places.
placesnounUS /ˈpleɪsəz/
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Again and again we loaded and fired, sweeping away those in front of us, but always others came to take their places.
precededverbUS /prɪˈsiːdɪd/
past form of “precede” — be earlier in time; go back further
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
PresentlyadverbUS /ˈprezəntli/
in the near future
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
protectingadjectiveUS /prəˈtektɪŋ/
shielding (or designed to shield) against harm or discomfort
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
riflesnounUS /ˈraɪfəlz/
plural of “rifle” — a shoulder firearm with a long barrel and a rifled bore
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
shieldnounUS /ʃiːld/
a protective covering or structure
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
skirmishers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
slowlyadverbUS /ˈsloʊli/
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
socketsnounUS /ˈsɑːkəts/
plural of “socket” — a bony hollow into which a structure fits
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
spearsnounUS /spɪrz/
plural of “spear” — a long pointed rod used as a tool or weapon
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
steadilyadverbUS /ˈstedəli/
at a steady rate or pace
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
stopverbUS /stɑːp/
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
sweepingadjectiveUS /ˈswiːpɪŋ/
taking in or moving over (or as if over) a wide area; often used in combination
From this reading Again and again we loaded and fired, sweeping away those in front of us, but always others came to take their places.
takeverbUS /teɪk/
carry out
From this reading Again and again we loaded and fired, sweeping away those in front of us, but always others came to take their places.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Again and again we loaded and fired, sweeping away those in front of us, but always others came to take their places.
thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
throwingverbUS /ˈθroʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
troopsnounUS /truːps/
soldiers collectively
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
wallnounUS /wɔːl/
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 Presently their spears were falling among us and a few casualties began to occur, not many, because of the protecting wall, but still some.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
WEEPSverbUS /wiːps/
third-person singular of “weep” — shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But this did not stop them in the least, for what could fifty rifles do against a horde of brave barbarians who, it seemed, had no fear of death?
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading ALLAN WEEPS On they came, slowly and steadily, preceded by a cloud of skirmishers—a thousand or more of these—who kept as open an order as the narrow ground would allow and carried, each of them, a bundle of throwing spears arranged in loops or sockets at the back of the shield.
yardsnounUS /jɑːrdz/
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading When these men were about a hundred yards away we opened fire and killed a great number of them, also some of the marshalled troops behind.
