used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A bridge had once been here; there remained the blackened cross-timbers and a portion of the flooring.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A bridge had once been here; there remained the blackened cross-timbers and a portion of the flooring.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The water below was cold, deep, and rapid.
blackenedadjectiveUS /ˈblækənd/
darkened by smoke
From this reading A bridge had once been here; there remained the blackened cross-timbers and a portion of the flooring.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading Rather than breast it, the army made shift to cross on the charred wood.
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
From this reading A bridge had once been here; there remained the blackened cross-timbers and a portion of the flooring.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
cavalrynounUS /ˈkævəlri/
troops trained to fight on horseback
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
CedarnounUS /ˈsiːdər/
any of numerous trees of the family Cupressaceae that resemble cedars
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
charredverbUS /tʃɑːrd/
inflected form of “char” — burn to charcoal
From this reading Rather than breast it, the army made shift to cross on the charred wood.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading The water below was cold, deep, and rapid.
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
CreeknounUS /kriːk/
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
travel across or pass over
From this reading Rather than breast it, the army made shift to cross on the charred wood.
cross-timbers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bridge had once been here; there remained the blackened cross-timbers and a portion of the flooring.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading The water below was cold, deep, and rapid.
FederaladjectiveUS /ˈfedərəl/
national; especially in reference to the government of the United States as distinct from that of its member units
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
flooringnounUS /ˈflɔːrɪŋ/
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading A bridge had once been here; there remained the blackened cross-timbers and a portion of the flooring.
gingerlyadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɪndʒərli/
with extreme care or delicacy
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
gorgeverbUS /ɡɔːrdʒ/
overeat or eat immodestly; make a pig of oneself
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A bridge had once been here; there remained the blackened cross-timbers and a portion of the flooring.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading A bridge had once been here; there remained the blackened cross-timbers and a portion of the flooring.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
infantrynounUS /ˈɪnfəntri/
an army unit consisting of soldiers who fight on foot
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Rather than breast it, the army made shift to cross on the charred wood.
JacksonnounUS /ˈdʒæksən/
English film actress who later became a member of British Parliament (born in 1936)
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
Kernstown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Rather than breast it, the army made shift to cross on the charred wood.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Rather than breast it, the army made shift to cross on the charred wood.
on one occasion
From this reading A bridge had once been here; there remained the blackened cross-timbers and a portion of the flooring.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading A bridge had once been here; there remained the blackened cross-timbers and a portion of the flooring.
rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/
done or occurring in a brief period of time
From this reading The water below was cold, deep, and rapid.
on the contrary
From this reading Rather than breast it, the army made shift to cross on the charred wood.
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading A bridge had once been here; there remained the blackened cross-timbers and a portion of the flooring.
(military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
RUDE'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
shiftverbUS /ʃɪft/
make a shift in or exchange of
From this reading Rather than breast it, the army made shift to cross on the charred wood.
shotsnounUS /ʃɑːts/
plural of “shot” — the act of firing a projectile
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
shoutsnounUS /ʃaʊts/
plural of “shout” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
steppingverbUS /ˈstepɪŋ/
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
StonewallverbUS /ˈstoʊnwɔːl/
obstruct or hinder any discussion
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Rather than breast it, the army made shift to cross on the charred wood.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
in or at that place or location
From this reading A bridge had once been here; there remained the blackened cross-timbers and a portion of the flooring.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading An infantry command, stepping gingerly, heard behind it shots and shouts--a Federal cavalry charge upon the rear guard.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading RUDE'S HILL Stonewall Jackson and his army in slow retreat up the valley came, the second day after Kernstown, to the gorge of Cedar Creek.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The water below was cold, deep, and rapid.
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 The water below was cold, deep, and rapid.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading Rather than breast it, the army made shift to cross on the charred wood.
