used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
move forward, also in the metaphorical sense
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
(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 He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
ArkansasnounUS /ˈɑːrkənsɑː/
a state in south central United States; one of the Confederate states during the American Civil War
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
astuteadjectiveUS /əˈstuːt/
marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
an officer in command of a military unit
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
a state at a particular time
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
consequentlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnsəkwəntli/
(sentence connectors) because of the reason given
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading CONTENTS.
copeverbUS /koʊp/
succeed in doing, achieving, or producing (something) with the limited or inadequate means available
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
correspondencenounUS /ˌkɔːrəˈspɑːndəns/
communication by the exchange of letters
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
CurtisnounUS /ˈkɜːrtəs/
English botanical writer and publisher (1746-1799)
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
plural of “force” — a powerful effect or influence
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
past form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
invadersnounUS /ˌɪnˈveɪdərz/
plural of “invader” — someone who enters by force in order to conquer
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
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 That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
leisurelyadverbUS /ˈliːzərli/
in an unhurried way or at one's convenience
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
march in a procession
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
the force of workers available
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
information about recent and important events
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
not any; not one
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
arrange in a container
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
(military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
serenelyadverbUS /sərˈiːnəli/
in a peacefully serene manner
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
sixteenadjectiveUS /sɪkˈstiːn/
being one more than fifteen
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
SpringfieldnounUS /ˈsprɪŋfiːld/
capital of the state of Illinois
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
surroundverbUS /sərˈaʊnd/
extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
carry out
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
an organization of employees formed to bargain with the employer
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading |It was impossible to prevent news of the advance of the Union forces being carried to General Price at Springfield.
at the time that
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He left in haste and did not take time to pack up all his correspondence, of which a considerable portion fell into the hands of the invaders.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading General Curtis had hoped to surround Price in Springfield and prevent his retreat; he did surround the town on two of its four sides, but left the other two wide open, and consequently Price was able to march serenely and leisurely down the road in the direction of the Arkansas line.
wiselyadverbUS /ˈwaɪzli/
in a wise manner
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
in the company of; together with
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
withdrewverbUS /wɪθˈdruː/
inflected form of “withdraw” — pull back or move away or backward
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading That astute commander knew that he was in no condition to cope with an army of sixteen thousand men, and so he wisely withdrew when certain that he would have to fight if he remained.
