used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
(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 I drew Nick aside and told him all.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I drew Nick aside and told him all.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And if I did, then they are a pair o' damned spies, and should be taken; and suffer as such!"
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And if I did, then they are a pair o' damned spies, and should be taken; and suffer as such!"
on or to one side
From this reading I drew Nick aside and told him all.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And if I did, then they are a pair o' damned spies, and should be taken; and suffer as such!"
for the reason that
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
ContinentaladjectiveUS /ˌkɑːntəˈnentəl/
of or pertaining to or typical of Europe
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
crowdingnounUS /ˈkraʊdɪŋ/
a situation in which people or things are crowded together
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
damnedadjectiveUS /dæmd/
expletives used informally as intensifiers
From this reading And if I did, then they are a pair o' damned spies, and should be taken; and suffer as such!"
absence of light or illumination
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
deliververbUS /dɪˈlɪvər/
deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading I drew Nick aside and told him all.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
encounterverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntər/
come together
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
FIRELIGHTnoun
the light of a fire (especially in a fireplace)
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
fliesnounUS /flaɪz/
(theater) the space over the stage (out of view of the audience) used to store scenery (drop curtains)
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
HarenounUS /her/
swift timid long-eared mammal larger than a rabbit having a divided upper lip and long hind legs; young born furred and with open eyes
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I drew Nick aside and told him all.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading And if I did, then they are a pair o' damned spies, and should be taken; and suffer as such!"
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
lanternsnounUS /ˈlæntərnz/
plural of “lantern” — light in a transparent protective case
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
a commissioned military officer
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
full of life and energy
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
MajoradjectiveUS /ˈmeɪdʒər/
of greater importance or stature or rank
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
NickverbUS /nɪk/
cut slightly, with a razor
From this reading I drew Nick aside and told him all.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
not any; not one
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading And if I did, then they are a pair o' damned spies, and should be taken; and suffer as such!"
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
orchardnounUS /ˈɔːrtʃərd/
garden consisting of a small cultivated wood without undergrowth
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading And if I did, then they are a pair o' damned spies, and should be taken; and suffer as such!"
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
cut with a saw
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading And if I did, then they are a pair o' damned spies, and should be taken; and suffer as such!"
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
smudgenounUS /smʌdʒ/
a smoky fire to drive away insects
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
comparatives of “soon” or “early”
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
spiesnounUS /spaɪz/
plural of “spy” — (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors
From this reading And if I did, then they are a pair o' damned spies, and should be taken; and suffer as such!"
StephennounUS /ˈstiːvən/
English writer (1832-1904)
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading And if I did, then they are a pair o' damned spies, and should be taken; and suffer as such!"
undergo or be subjected to
From this reading And if I did, then they are a pair o' damned spies, and should be taken; and suffer as such!"
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
carry out
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading And if I did, then they are a pair o' damned spies, and should be taken; and suffer as such!"
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading I drew Nick aside and told him all.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
watch-fire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
WattsnounUS /wɑːts/
English poet and theologian (1674-1748)
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
Westfall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
in the company of; together with
From this reading FIRELIGHT Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people came crowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because they had made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly for Summer House and the Continental camp.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You shall deliver a letter to Major Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every face you encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw Stephen Watts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point this night.
